Definition
冲 (chōng) has three main uses: to rinse/brew (tea, coffee), to dash/charge forward, and to develop film. For the 'charge' sense, it implies forceful forward motion — stronger than 碰 (pèng 'touch lightly') or 撞 (zhuàng 'collide, bump into'), and more direct than 闯 (chuǎng 'rush through an obstacle'). The brewing/rinse senses are unique to 冲 among these siblings.
verb
to rinseto flushto develop (film)to brewto infuse (tea, coffee, etc.)to dashto chargeto collide with
Easily confused
- 冲chònglook-alike(of water or force) to dash against
- 重chóngsound-alike(adverb) again; once more (placed before a verb to indicate redoing an action)
- 肿zhǒnglook-aliketo swell; to be swollen
- 充chōngsound-aliketo fill; to charge (a battery)
- 钟zhōnglook-alike(noun) handleless cup; goblet
- 宠chǒngsound-aliketo pamper; to spoil; to favor (with excessive affection or preferential treatment)
Examples
- 冲。Yòng shuǐ chōng yíxià bēizi.Rinse the cup with water.
- 冲。Tā gěi wǒ chōng le yì bēi kāfēi.He made me a cup of coffee.
- 冲。Tā chōng jìn le jiàoshì.He rushed into the classroom.
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