静水 (jìng shuǐ) — still water, stagnant water; (figurative) a calm, uneventful state or situation

Definition

Literally 'still water' — also used figuratively for a calm, uneventful life or situation, free of disturbance or stimulation.

noun
still waterstagnant water(figurative) a calmuneventful state or situation
Easily confused

Examples

  • 静水，。
    Hú miàn yí piàn jìng shuǐ, méi yǒu yì sī fēng.
    The lake surface was a sheet of still water, without a breath of wind.
  • 静水。
    jìng shuǐ Zhī xià wǎng wǎng àn cáng wēi jī.
    Beneath still water, danger often lurks.
  • 静水，。
    Tā xǐ huan jìng shuǐ bān de shēng huó, bù zhuī qiú cì jī.
    He likes a still-water kind of life, not seeking excitement.

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.

静jìngstill
水shuǐwater

静水 joins 静 (still) and 水 (water) for calm, unmoving water.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 靜; 静 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 靜, not the simplified 静, uses 青 and 爭 for sound; an old source also treats 青 (blue) as a meaning part.

Open 静 →

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

水 is a simple drawing of water flowing.

Open 水 →

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