深不可测 (shēn bù kě cè) — fathomless (literal depth, of water or space); unfathomable, beyond comprehension (figurative, of feelings, motives, mysteries, or expertise)

Definition

Literally 'deep and cannot be measured.' Used for literal depth (water, space) and for minds, motives, or mysteries that cannot be fathomed. More literary than 高深莫测.

idiom
fathomless (literal depth, of water or space)unfathomablebeyond comprehension (figurative, of feelings, motives, mysteries, or expertise)

Examples

  • 深不可测，。
    Zhè ge hú shēn bù kě cè, méi rén gǎn xià qù yóu yǒng.
    This lake is fathomless; nobody dares to swim in it.
  • 深不可测，。
    Tā nèi xīn shēn bù kě cè, méi rén zhī dào tā zài xiǎng shén me.
    His heart is unfathomable; nobody knows what he's thinking.
  • 深不可测，。
    Zhè ge yǔ zhòu de ào mì shēn bù kě cè, kē xué jiā men hái zài tàn suǒ.
    The mysteries of this universe are unfathomable; scientists are still exploring.

Origin

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
𥥍
𥥍𥥍深shēn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

深 is built from 氵, the side form of 水 “water”, and 𥥍, which supplies the sound.

Open 深 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The picture in 不 originally showed a flower’s calyx; the “no” sense came later from a related character, not from this picture.

Open 不 →

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
口口kǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
丂
丂kǎo可kě
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

可 pairs 口 (mouth) with 丂 as a sound part; it is tied to air from the mouth, perhaps singing.

Open 可 →

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 測; 测 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
則
則zé測cè
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 測 combines 氵 (water) with 則 for the sound; it is explained as measuring the depth of water. The simplified 测 is a later shorthand.

Open 测 →

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