TongTong
Sign in

沐浴 (mù yù) — to bathe, to take a bath (formal/literary); (figurative) to be immersed in, to bask in (sunlight, moonlight, atmosphere, etc.)

Definition

沐浴 is a formal/literary verb for 'to bathe,' used for both washing and the figurative sense of being immersed in light or atmosphere. Compared to 洗澡 (everyday shower/bath) and 浸泡 (steeping in liquid), 沐浴 is more elevated in register.

verb
to batheto take a bath (formal/literary)(figurative) to be immersed into bask in (sunlight, moonlight, atmosphere, etc.)

Examples

  • 沐浴。
    Tā xí guàn zài shuì qián mù yù.
    He is used to bathing before sleep.
  • 沐浴。
    Yáng guāng mù yù zhe zhěng gè huā yuán.
    Sunlight bathes the entire garden.
  • 沐浴。
    Tā men mù yù zài xìng fú de fēn wéi zhōng.
    They are immersed in a happy atmosphere.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

沐mùwash hair
浴yùbathe

沐 (wash hair) and 浴 (bathe) combine to mean taking a bath or being immersed.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
木
木mù沐⁰mù
Same sound today

沐 pairs 氵 (water) with 木 (mù), the part that gives its sound.

Open 沐 →

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shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
谷
谷gǔ浴yù
Same sound today

浴 shows 氵 (water) beside 谷, which gives the sound, for bathing in water.

Open 浴 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Hygiene & Grooming

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.