深重 (shēn zhòng) — very grave, extremely serious (of disasters, cr… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Used for disasters, crimes, or suffering that are extremely serious in degree. Carries a written, formal tone — not for everyday small problems.

adjective

very graveextremely serious (of disasters, crimes, suffering)

Examples

深重。
Zhè cì dì zhèn zào chéng de zāi nàn shēn zhòng.
The disaster caused by this earthquake was extremely serious.
深重，。
Tā fàn xià de zuì xíng shēn zhòng, bù róng yuán liàng.
The crime he committed was extremely grave and unforgivable.
，深重。
Lì shǐ gào sù wǒ men, zhàn zhēng dài lái de kǔ nàn shí fēn shēn zhòng.
History tells us that the suffering brought by war is very grave.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

深 (deep) and 重 (heavy) combine to stress extreme seriousness.

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.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

東

東dōng重zhòng

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

重 developed from a picture of a man carrying a bag, with 人 for the man and 東 for the bag; a later ground element was folded into the form.

Appears in

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