TongTong
Sign in

沉积 (chén jī) — (of sediment) to deposit; to settle

Definition

Used for the natural geological/chemical process of sediment settling and accumulating over time, rather than people placing things down. In everyday 'put down' or 'leave (an object)' senses, prefer 放下 or 放下/留下.

verb
(of sediment) to depositto settle

Examples

  • 沉积，。
    Hé dǐ de ní shā bú duàn chén jī, xíng chéng le xīn de tǔ dì.
    The sediment at the bottom of the river continuously deposits, forming new land.
  • 沉积。
    Zhè xiē huà shí shì zài hǎi dǐ chén jī xíng chéng de.
    These fossils were formed by deposition on the seafloor.
  • 沉积。
    Cháng qī chén jī de huī chén xū yào dìng qī qīng lǐ.
    The dust that has accumulated over a long period needs regular cleaning.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

沉chénsink
积jīaccumulate

沉积 joins “沉” sink and “积” accumulate, describing material settling and building up.

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 沉 →

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 積; 积 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
禾禾hé
Sound part声符shēngfú
責
責zé積jī
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 積 pairs 禾 (grain) with 責, which gives the sound; the simplified 积 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical parts.

Open 积 →
Appears in
Science (General)

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