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溺死 (nì sǐ) — to drown (to death); to be drowned

Definition

溺死 (nìsǐ) is a written/formal verb specifically meaning to die by drowning — it always implies death, unlike 淹 yān which can mean submerging without fatal outcome.

verb
to drown (to death)to be drowned

Examples

  • 溺死。
    Nà ge xiǎo hái bù xiǎo xīn diào jìn hé lǐ nì sǐ le.
    That child accidentally fell into the river and drowned.
  • ，溺死。
    Jù bào dào, měi nián dōu yǒu hěn duō rén yīn yóu yǒng ér nì sǐ.
    According to reports, many people drown while swimming every year.
  • ，溺死。
    Jiù yuán rén yuán gǎn dào shí, tā yǐ jīng nì sǐ le.
    By the time rescuers arrived, he had already drowned.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

溺nìdrown
死sǐdie

溺 'drown' and 死 'die' combine to mean dying by drowning.

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
弱
弱ruò溺nì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left side 氵 is water; the right side 弱 gives the sound ruò.

Open 溺 →

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
歹歹dǎi
Sound part声符shēngfú
尸
尸shī死sǐ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

死 is built from 歹 and 尸: 歹 is the part tied to the meaning, and 尸 gives the sound.

Open 死 →
Appears in
Safety & Danger

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