渍 (zì) — to soak; to steep; to stain; to soil (with grease, mud, etc.)
Definition
渍 (zì) means to soak or to stain — typically used for fabric absorbing liquid (water, oil, dye). Often pairs with 把 constructions, as in 油把衬衫渍脏了.
verb
to soakto steepto stainto soil (with grease, mud, etc.)
Easily confused
- 溃huìlook-alike(bound form) to burst (dam, levee)
- 自zìsound-alike(preposition) from (indicating a starting point in space or time)
- 债zhàilook-alikedebt
- 字zìsound-alikecharacter (Chinese character)
- 啧zélook-alikeclick of the tongue (expressing disapproval, annoyance, or admiration)
- 恣zìsound-alike(bound form) unrestrained; indulgent; to do as one pleases
Examples
- 渍，。Nǐ bǎ yī fu fàng zài shuǐ lǐ zì yí xià, zài xǐ.Soak the clothes in water for a while before washing.
- 渍，。Yóu bǎ chèn shān zì zāng le, hěn nán xǐ diào.The oil stained the shirt dirty, hard to wash off.
- 渍，。Zhè kuài bù liào róng yì zì sè, bú yào yòng rè shuǐ xǐ.This fabric easily bleeds color (soaks color); don't wash it with hot water.
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 漬; 渍 is its simplified writing.
Sound part声符shēngfú
責
責zé漬zì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
The traditional form 漬 has 水, water, beside 責, which gives the sound; the simplified 渍 is a later abbreviation.
Appears in
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