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陷落 (xiàn luò) — (of a city, territory) to fall into enemy hands; to be captured; (of ground, a structure) to subside; to cave in; to sink; (figurative) to fall into (a predicament, a bad state)

Definition

A literary verb meaning 'to fall into' — used for a city captured in war, ground that caves in, or (figuratively) a person sinking into trouble.

verb
(of a city, territory) to fall into enemy handsto be captured(of ground, a structure) to subsideto cave into sink(figurative) to fall into (a predicament, a bad state)

Examples

  • 陷落。
    Zhè zuò chéng shì zài zhàn zhēng zhōng xiàn luò le.
    This city fell in the war.
  • 陷落，。
    Dì miàn tū rán xiàn luò, xíng chéng le yí gè dà kēng.
    The ground suddenly caved in, forming a large pit.
  • 陷落。
    Tā yīn dǔ bó ér xiàn luò le zhài wù de shēn yuān.
    He fell into an abyss of debt because of gambling.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

陷xiànsink/fall
落luòfall

陷 and 落 both describe going down, so together they mean sink, cave in, or fall into enemy hands.

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
阜阜fù
Sound part声符shēngfú
臽
臽xiàn陷xiàn
Same sound today

In 陷, the older form 臽 pictured falling into a trap; 阜 was added later to differentiate it.

Open 陷 →

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
艹Written in full as艸cǎo
Sound part声符shēngfú
洛
洛luò落luò
Same sound today

落 pairs 艹 with 洛; 洛 gives the sound, and 艹 relates to the meaning.

Open 落 →
Appears in
Military & Defense

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