沉郁 (chén yù) — (of mood) deeply depressed; gloomy; (of literary style or tone) profound, restrained, and weighty

Definition

Literary word for a mood or style that feels heavy, dark, and held in — deeper than just 'sad'. Often describes melancholy writing or visuals, as in 沉郁顿挫 (Du Fu's weighty, restrained style).

verb
(of mood) deeply depressedgloomy(of literary style or tone) profoundrestrainedand weighty

Examples

  • 沉郁，。
    Tā zuì jìn xīn qíng chén yù, zǒng shì yí gè rén fā dāi.
    He's been in a gloomy mood lately, always staring off alone.
  • 沉郁。
    Dù fǔ de shī yǐ chén yù dùn cuò zhù chēng.
    Du Fu's poetry is famous for its profound and forceful style (chényù dùncuò).
  • 沉郁，。
    Zhè bù diàn yǐng de sè diào chén yù, ràng rén gǎn dào yā yì.
    This film's color palette is gloomy, making people feel oppressed.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

沉chéndeep
郁yùgloomy

沉郁 joins 沉 and 郁, both suggesting a heavy, gloomy depth.

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 沉 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 鬱; 郁 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 鬱 shows 林 (forest), 大 (standing person), and 勹 (leaning person), with people hiding in a lush forest; the simplified 郁 is a later abbreviation.

Open 郁 →

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