TongTong
Sign in

森严 (sēn yán) — strict; stern; forbidding (used to describe atmosphere, hierarchy, security, etc.)

Definition

A formal adjective describing an atmosphere, hierarchy, or security as strict, stern, and intimidating — a vivid, written word, stronger and more literary than 严格.

verb
strictsternforbidding (used to describe atmosphere, hierarchy, security, etc.)

Examples

  • 森严。
    Zhè ge gōng sī de děng jí sēn yán.
    This company has a strict hierarchy.
  • 森严。
    Zhěng gè dì qū jiè bèi sēn yán.
    The entire area is under tight security.
  • 森严。
    Fǎ tíng shàng de qì fen sēn yán.
    The atmosphere in the courtroom was forbidding.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

森sēndense or stern
严yánstrict

森 and 严 both suggest sternness and tightness, together meaning forbidding.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The form 森 stacks three tree-like shapes to show many trees in a forest.

Open 森 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 嚴; 严 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
喦喦yántalkative
Sound part声符shēngfú
敢
敢gǎn嚴yán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 嚴 combines 喦 (talkative) and 敢 (daring); the simplified 严 is a later shorthand.

Open 严 →
Appears in
Good & Bad

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.