耽 (dān) — (bound form) to delay; to procrastinate; (bound form) to indulge in (literary)

Definition

耽 is a bound literary verb almost always paired with 误 or 搁 (耽误, 耽搁 = delay) or with 于 + object (耽于… = indulge in). It carries a formal, written tone and never stands alone.

bound form
to delayto procrastinateto indulge in (literary)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 。
    Bié dān wu le huǒ chē.
    Don't delay and miss the train.
  • 耽，。
    Tā zhěng tiān dān yú xiǎng lè, bù sī jìn qǔ.
    He indulges in pleasure all day and doesn't think about progress.
  • 。
    Zhè jiàn shì bù néng zài dān ge le.
    This matter can't be delayed any longer.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

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
耳耳ěr
Sound part声符shēngfú
冘
冘yóu耽dān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

耽 has 耳 (ear) as its meaning part and 冘 as its sound part.

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