耳濡目染 (ěr rú mù rǎn) — to be subtly influenced by prolonged exposure to one's surroundings (often used for positive or neutral influence)

Definition

A chengyu meaning to be shaped gradually by what one constantly sees and hears around one — influence that happens without effort or awareness, just from being in the environment.

idiom
to be subtly influenced by prolonged exposure to one's surroundings (often used for positive or neutral influence)

Examples

  • ，耳濡目染，。
    Tā cóng xiǎo zài shū xiāng mén dì zhǎng dà, ěr rú mù rǎn, duì wén xué zì rán hěn gǎn xìng qù.
    He grew up in a scholarly family and, through constant exposure, naturally developed a strong interest in literature.
  • ，耳濡目染，。
    Zài zhè yàng jī jí xiàng shàng de tuán duì lǐ gōng zuò, ěr rú mù rǎn, nǐ de gōng zuò tài dù yě huì yuè lái yuè hǎo.
    Working in such a positive and motivated team, you will gradually adopt a better work attitude through daily exposure.
  • ，耳濡目染，。
    Fù mǔ shì hái zi de dì yī rèn lǎo shī, hái zi ěr rú mù rǎn, huì mó fǎng dà rén de yán xíng.
    Parents are a child's first teachers; children, through constant observation, will imitate adults' words and actions.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

耳濡ears soaked
耳ěrear濡rúmoisten
主谓Subject + predicate
目染eyes dyed
目mùeye染rǎndye
主谓Subject + predicate

耳濡 (ears soaked) and 目染 (eyes dyed) together picture subtle influence from surroundings.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

耳 is drawn as a picture of an ear.

Open 耳 →

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shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
需
需xū濡rú
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

濡 pairs 水, the water part, with 需, which gives the sound.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

目 began as a drawing of a human eye, turned sideways.

Open 目 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

染 combines 氵 (water), 九 (hook), and 木 (tree): something hung on a hook from a tree into water to dye it.

Open 染 →

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