深藏 (shēn cáng) — to keep one's talents or abilities hidden; to be reserved and not show off

Definition

A literary verb meaning to keep something hidden — usually one's talents, feelings, or secrets, not physical objects. The phrase 深藏不露 (literally 'hide deep, don't reveal') is the common set expression for a reserved person.

verb
to keep one's talents or abilities hiddento be reserved and not show off

Examples

  • 深藏，。
    Tā zhè ge rén shēn cáng bú lù, qí shí hěn yǒu cái huá.
    He doesn't show off, but actually he's very talented.
  • 深藏。
    Zhēn zhèng de zhì zhě wǎng wǎng shēn cáng zì jǐ de fēng máng.
    True wise people often hide their sharp edges.
  • 深藏。
    Tā shēn cáng duō nián de mì mì zhōng yú bèi fā xiàn le.
    The secret she had kept hidden for years was finally discovered.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

深shēndeeply
藏cánghide

深 stresses how deeply talent or feeling is kept away, and 藏 means to hide, giving a reserved, not boastful sense.

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
𥥍
𥥍𥥍深shēn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

深 is built from 氵, the side form of 水 “water”, and 𥥍, which supplies the sound.

Open 深 →

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
艸艸cǎograss
Sound part声符shēngfú
臧
臧zāng藏cáng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

藏 is made from 艸 (grass) and 臧, where 臧 gives the sound.

Open 藏 →

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