堕入 (duò rù) — to fall into (a negative state); to sink into (a predicament)

Definition

A formal, literary verb for falling or sinking into a negative state (crisis, trap, depravity). Stronger than 陷入, which is more neutral and everyday.

verb
to fall into (a negative state)to sink into (a predicament)

Examples

  • 堕入。
    Tā yīn jué cè shī wù ér duò rù le wàn zhàng shēn yuān.
    He fell into a bottomless abyss because of a decision error.
  • 堕入,。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī duò rù le cái wù wēi jī, miàn lín pò chǎn.
    This company has sunk into a financial crisis and is facing bankruptcy.
  • 堕入,。
    Tā duò rù le dí rén shè xià de xiàn jǐng, wú fǎ tuō shēn.
    He fell into a trap set by the enemy and couldn't escape.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

入rùinto

堕 means fall, and 入 adds the sense of going into, so the word describes sinking into a bad state.

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 墮; 堕 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
Sound part声符shēngfú
隋
隋suí墮duò
Same sound today

The traditional form 墮 pairs 土 (earth) with 隋 as a sound part; the simplified 堕 is a later shorthand.

Open 堕 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

入 is drawn as an arrowhead, indicating 'to enter'.

Open 入 →

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