浅 (qiǎn) — shallow (of depth); light (of color)
Definition
Use 浅 for physical depth or light color. For figurative 'shallow' (ideas, understanding), 肤浅 is the HSK 7 word — same English gloss, but 浅 isn't used that way.
adjective
shallow (of depth)light (of color)
Examples
- 浅，。Zhè tiáo hé hěn qiǎn, kě yǐ zǒu guò qù.This river is very shallow; we can walk across it.
- 。Tā xǐ huan chuān qiǎn sè de yī fu.She likes to wear light-colored clothes.
- 浅。qiǎn De dì fāng yǒu hěn duō xiǎo yú.There are many small fish in the shallow areas.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost 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 淺; 浅 is its simplified writing.
Sound part声符shēngfú
戔
戔jiān淺qiǎn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
The traditional form 淺 pairs 氵 (water) with 戔 to give the sound; 浅 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the original parts.
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