入神 (rù shén) — (verb) to be entranced, to be absorbed (in watching, listening, etc.)

Definition

A verb describing the state of being deeply absorbed or entranced by what one is seeing or hearing — the focus is on the listener/viewer's total attention, not the quality of the thing watched.

verb
to be entrancedto be absorbed (in watching, listening, etc.)

Examples

  • ，。
    Tā kàn xiǎo shuō kàn dé rù le shén, lián wǒ jiào tā dōu méi tīng jiàn.
    He was so absorbed in reading the novel that he didn't even hear me calling him.
  • ，。
    Zhè duàn yīn yuè tài měi le, wǒ tīng dé rù le shén.
    This piece of music is so beautiful that I listened entranced.
  • ，。
    Tā huà huà huà dé rù le shén, lián fàn dōu wàng le chī.
    He was so absorbed in painting that he forgot to eat.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

入rùenter
神shénspirit

“入” (enter) and “神” (spirit) suggest being drawn into deep focus, hence entranced.

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

入 is drawn as an arrowhead, indicating 'to enter'.

Open 入 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
示示shìgod; deity
Sound part声符shēngfú
申
申shēn神shén
Same sound today

The older form 申 drew lightning, which the ancients regarded as divine; 神 adds 示 (god/deity) to mark that meaning.

Open 神 →

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