Definition
浅 (qiǎn) describes physical depth (shallow water) or light color. 肤浅 (fūqiǎn, HSK 7) means 'superficial' in a metaphorical sense, e.g., shallow thinking. Use 浅 for literal depth/color; use 肤浅 for figurative shallowness.
adjective
shallow (of depth)light (of color)
Easily confused
- 贱jiànlook-alike(adjective) cheap, inexpensive (of goods)
- 前qiánsound-alikefront (location)
- 线xiànlook-alikethread; string; wire; line
- 欠qiànsound-aliketo owe (money, debt, favor, apology)
- 钱qiánlook-alikemoney
- 签qiānsound-aliketo sign (one's name on a document)
- 盏zhǎnlook-alike(classifier) for lamps, lanterns, and other light sources (also literary: small cup)
- 签qiānsound-aliketo sign (one's name); to write brief comments on a document
- 残cánlook-aliketo damage, to injure, to destroy
- 千qiānsound-alikethousand
Examples
- 浅，。Zhè tiáo hé hěn qiǎn, kěyǐ zǒu guòqù.This river is very shallow; we can walk across it.
- 。Tā xǐhuan chuān qiǎn sè de yīfu.She likes to wear light-colored clothes.
- 浅。qiǎn dìfang yǒu hěn duō xiǎo yú.There are many small fish in the shallow areas.
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