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染上 (rǎn shǎng) — to catch (a disease); to acquire (a habit, usually a bad one)

Definition

Used when someone "catches" something unwanted — a disease or a bad habit — through exposure or contact. Pairs with illnesses (感冒、传染病) and with 习惯 to mark the habit as picked up, not chosen.

verb
to catch (a disease)to acquire (a habit, usually a bad one)

Examples

  • 染上。
    Tā bù xiǎo xīn rǎn shǎng le gǎn mào.
    He carelessly caught a cold.
  • 染上。
    Hěn duō hái zi dōu rǎn shǎng le wán shǒu jī de xí guàn.
    Many children have picked up the habit of playing with their phones.
  • 染上。
    Zhè ge bìng hěn róng yì rǎn shǎng.
    This disease is very easy to catch.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

染rǎndye or catch
上shàngonto

染 means catch or dye and 上 means onto, so the whole is catching or acquiring.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

染 combines 氵 (water), 九 (hook), and 木 (tree): something hung on a hook from a tree into water to dye it.

Open 染 →

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

上 is drawn as a short horizontal line placed above a longer arc, marking a position above that arc.

Open 上 →
Appears in
Illness & Symptoms

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