深浅 (shēn qiǎn) — (literal) depth (of water, hole, etc.); degree, seriousness (of a matter or relationship); limits; true character; situation (in phrases like 不知深浅)

Definition

A paired noun covering both literal depth (water, a hole) and figurative 'degree / seriousness / limits'. Often used in fixed phrases like 不知深浅 ('doesn't know the limits').

noun
(literal) depth (of water, hole, etc.)degreeseriousness (of a matter or relationship)limitstrue charactersituation (in phrases like 不知深浅)

Examples

  • 深浅？
    Zhè tiáo hé de shēn qiǎn nǐ zhī dào shì duō shǎo ma?
    Do you know how deep this river is?
  • 深浅。
    Tā duì zhè jiàn shì de shēn qiǎn bú tài liǎo jiě.
    He doesn't quite understand the seriousness of this matter.
  • 深浅，。
    Tā zuò shì bù zhī shēn qiǎn, zǒng shì gěi zì jǐ rě má fan.
    He acts without knowing the limits, always causing trouble for himself.

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.

深shēndeep
浅qiǎnshallow

深 and 浅 stand for deep and shallow; together they name the degree or measure between them.

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 →

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 淺; 浅 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
戔
戔jiān淺qiǎn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 淺 pairs 氵 (water) with 戔 to give the sound; 浅 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the original parts.

Open 浅 →

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