泥沼 (ní zhǎo) — swamp, marsh, slough | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Literary word for a swamp or marsh. The second example shows it's often used figuratively — an emotional or psychological 'quagmire' — more metaphorical than 沼泽.

noun

swampmarshslough

Measure word · 片

Examples

泥沼。
Tā men zài ní zhǎo zhōng mí shī le fāng xiàng.
They lost their way in the swamp.
泥沼，。
Tā xiàn rù le qíng gǎn de ní zhǎo, wú fǎ chōu shēn.
He fell into an emotional swamp and couldn't extricate himself.
泥沼。
Zhè piàn ní zhǎo lǐ yǒu gè zhǒng zhí wù hé dòng wù.
This swamp has various plants and animals.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

泥 describes the muddy substance and 沼 the marshy pool.

Characters in this word

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

氵尼泥

Meaning part形符xíngfú

氵Written in full as水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

尼

尼ní泥nì

Same sound today

The left side is 氵, the water part; the right side is 尼, which gives the sound.

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

氵召沼

Meaning part形符xíngfú

氵Written in full as水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

召

召zhào沼zhǎo

Same sound today

沼 pairs 氵 (water) with 召, which gives the sound. The water part fits the meaning of a pond.

Appears in

Geography & Landforms

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