沁 (qìn) — to seep, to permeate (of fragrances, liquids); to soak, to infuse (in water); (dialectal) to droop, to hang (of head)

Definition

A literary verb meaning 'to seep / permeate' (fragrance, liquid) — used in set phrases like 沁人心脾, not in everyday speech. The third sense (to droop the head) is dialectal.

verb
to seepto permeate (of fragrances, liquids)to soakto infuse (in water)(dialectal) to droopto hang (of head)

Examples

  • 。
    Chūn tiān de huā xiāng qìn rén xīn pí.
    The spring flower fragrance refreshes one's heart and lungs.
  • 沁。
    Hàn shuǐ qìn shī le tā de yī fu.
    Sweat soaked his clothes.
  • 沁，。
    Tā qìn zhe tóu, xiǎn de hěn pí bèi.
    He drooped his head, looking very tired.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
心
心xīn沁qìn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

沁 puts 氵 (water) on the left to show it is about water, and 心 on the right to give it its sound.

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