浸透 (jìn tòu) — to soak through; to saturate

Definition

Literary verb meaning liquid seeping all the way through something (soak, permeate). Often used figuratively for feelings or ideas deeply permeating people or places.

verb
to soak throughto saturate

Examples

  • 浸透。
    Yǔ shuǐ jìn tòu le ní tǔ.
    Rainwater soaked through the soil.
  • 浸透。
    Tā de yī fu bèi hàn shuǐ jìn tòu le.
    His clothes were soaked through with sweat.
  • 浸透。
    Zhè zhǒng yào shuǐ néng jìn tòu pí fū.
    This kind of liquid medicine can penetrate the skin.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

浸jìnsoak
透tòuthrough

浸 means to soak and 透 means through, so the action is to soak through.

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
水水shuǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
𡩠
𡩠𡩠浸jìn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

浸 is built from 水, meaning water, and 𡩠, which gives the sound.

Open 浸 →

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
辵辵chuòwalking
Sound part声符shēngfú
秀
秀xiù透tòu
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The shape 透 has 辵, a walking part, and 秀, which provides the sound.

Open 透 →

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