# 沈

| 沈 | U+6C88, &#27784; CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-6C88 |
| ← 沇 [U+6C87] | CJK Unified Ideographs | 沉 → [U+6C89] |
| 沈 | U+F972, &#63858; CJK COMPATIBILITY IDEOGRAPH-F972 |
| ← 辰 [U+F971] | CJK Compatibility Ideographs | 拾 → [U+F973] |

## Translingual

| Traditional | 沉 |
| Simplified | 沉 |
| Japanese | 沈 |
| Korean | 沈 |

### Han character

沈 (Kangxi radical 85, 水+4, 7 strokes, cangjie input 水中月山 (ELBU), four-corner 3411$_2$, composition ⿰氵冘)

#### Derived characters

* 𠴥, 𢭽, 𤉠, 𥁭, 𧖶, 𲆯, 𨧁, 莐, 霃

#### References

* Kangxi Dictionary: page 610, character 6
* Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 17189
* Dae Jaweon: page 1002, character 15
* Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 3, page 1572, character 7
* Unihan data for U+6C88
* Unihan data for U+F972

## Chinese
### Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 沈 :
| Shang | Western Zhou | Warring States | Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han) | Liushutong (compiled in Ming) |
| Oracle bone script | Bronze inscriptions | Chu slip and silk script | Small seal script | Transcribed ancient scripts |
| | Old Chinese |
| 冘 | *lu, *lum |
| 抌 | *lu, *ʔl'uːmʔ, *loʔ |
| 狖 | *lus |
| 貁 | *lus |
| 耽 | *ʔl'uːm |
| 眈 | *ʔl'uːm, *ʔl'uːmʔ, *l'uːm |
| 酖 | *ʔl'uːm |
| 妉 | *ʔl'uːm |
| 黕 | *ʔl'uːmʔ |
| 衴 | *ʔl'uːmʔ |
| 瓭 | *ʔl'uːmʔ |
| 馾 | *ʔl'uːms |
| 髧 | *l'uːmʔ |
| 紞 | *ʔl'oːmʔ |
| 鈂 | *zlum, *l'um |
| 沈 | *l'um, *l'ums, *hljumʔ |
| 沉 | *l'um |
| 枕 | *l'um, *ʔljumʔ, *ʔljums |
| 莐 | *l'um |
| 霃 | *l'um |
| 鴆 | *l'ums |
| 訦 | *ɦljum, *ɦljumʔ |
| 忱 | *ɦljum |
| 邥 | *hljumʔ |
| 魫 | *hljumʔ |
In the oracle bone script, it was an ideogrammic compound (會意 / 会意): 水 (“water”) + 羊 (“sheep”) — to submerge a sheep into the water (as a form of sacrifice to the river god). Other forms included 牛 (“ox”) or 玉 (“jade”) instead of 羊.
Starting from the bronze inscriptions, it became a phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *l'um, *l'ums, *hljumʔ): semantic 水 (“water”) + phonetic 冘 (OC *lu, *lum).
This character was later borrowed to signify the surname, and the variant 沉 (OC *l'um) was adopted for the original meaning.

### Etymology 1

* For pronunciation and definitions of 沈 – see 瀋 (“liquid; juice; to pour; etc.”). (This character is the simplified form of 瀋).
* Notes:Simplified Chinese is mainly used in Mainland China, Malaysia, and Singapore.Traditional Chinese is mainly used in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.

### Etymology 2
#### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): chén (chen$^2$)
    (Zhuyin): ㄔㄣˊ
* Cantonese (Jyutping): cam$^4$ / zam$^3$
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: chén
*** Zhuyin: ㄔㄣˊ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: chén
*** Wade–Giles: chʻên$^2$
*** Yale: chén
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: chern
*** Palladius: чэнь (čɛnʹ)
*** Sinological IPA : /ʈ͡ʂʰən³⁵/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: cam$^4$ / zam$^3$
*** Yale: chàhm / jam
*** Cantonese Pinyin: tsam$^4$ / dzam$^3$
*** Guangdong Romanization: cem$^4$ / zem$^3$
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰɐm²¹/, /t͡sɐm³³/
* Middle Chinese: drim, drimH
Rime :
| Character | 沈 | 沈 |
| Reading # | 1/3 | 3/3 |
| Initial (聲) | 澄 (11) | 澄 (11) |
| Final (韻) | 侵 (140) | 侵 (140) |
| Tone (調) | Level (Ø) | Departing (H) |
| Openness (開合) | Open | Open |
| Division (等) | III | III |
| Fanqie | 直深切 | 直禁切 |
| Baxter | drim | drimH |
| Reconstructions |||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /ɖˠiɪm/ | /ɖˠiɪm$^H$/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /ɖᵚim/ | /ɖᵚim$^H$/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /ȡiem/ | /ȡiem$^H$/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /ɖjim/ | /ɖjim$^H$/ |
| Li Rong | /ȡjəm/ | /ȡjəm$^H$/ |
| Wang Li | /ȡĭĕm/ | /ȡĭĕm$^H$/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /ȡʱi̯əm/ | /ȡʱi̯əm$^H$/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | chén | zhèn |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | cam$^4$ | zam$^6$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Baxter–Sagart): /*C.[d]r[ə]m/, /*[d]r[ə]m/, /*[d]r[ə]m/, /*[d]r[ə]m-s/
    (Zhengzhang): /*l'um/, /*l'ums/
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014) :
| Character | 沈 | 沈 | 沈 | 沈 |
| Reading # | 1/5 | 2/5 | 3/5 | 4/5 |
| Modern Beijing (Pinyin) | chén | chén | chén | chén |
| Middle Chinese | ‹ drim › | ‹ drim › | ‹ drim › | ‹ drim$^H$ › |
| Old Chinese | /*C.[d]r[ə]m/ (~ *m-lr[ə]m) | /*[d]r[ə]m/ (~ *m-lr[ə]m) | /*[d]r[ə]m/ | /*[d]r[ə]m-s/ |
| English | sink (v.t.) | sink (v.i.) | sacrifice in which gifts are sunk in water | sacrifice in which gifts are sunk in water |
| Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary. |||||
Zhengzhang system (2003) :
| Character | 沈 | 沈 |
| Reading # | 1/3 | 2/3 |
| No. | 15255 | 15261 |
| Phonetic component | 冘 | 冘 |
| Rime group | 侵 | 侵 |
| Rime subdivision | 3 | 3 |
| Corresponding MC rime | 沈 | 鴆 |
| Old Chinese | /*l'um/ | /*l'ums/ |
| Notes | 周國名 | |

#### Definitions

沈
* Alternative form of 沉 (chén)
* (obsolete) ritual sacrifice in which animals are submerged in water
* (obsolete) put poison in liquid
    From: Rites of Zhou, circa 3rd century BCE
    Jìn shān zhī wèiyuàn, zé zhī chén zhě. [Pinyin]
    They forbid building parks on mountains and putting poisons in ponds.
* sixty-fourth tetragram of the Taixuanjing, "sinking" (𝍅)

#### Compounds

* 沈冤
* 沈凝
* 沈勇
* 沈吟 (chényín)
* 沈寂
* 沈思 (chénsī)
* 沈悶
* 沈沒 (chénmò)
* 沈沈
* 沈浮 (chénfú)
* 沈浸
* 沈淪
* 沈湎 (chénmiǎn)
* 沈溺
* 沈澱
* 沈痛 (chéntòng)
* 沈睡
* 沈積
* 沈穩
* 沈著 (chénzhuó)
* 沈迷 (chénmí)
* 沈醉
* 沈重 (chénzhòng)
* 沈靜 (chénjìng)
* 沈香 (chénxiāng)
* 沈鬱 (chényù)
* 沈默 (chénmò)
* 浮沈 (fúchén)
* 消沈
* 深沈 (shēnchén)
* 陰沈

### Etymology 3

* 沈姓 (Written Standard Chinese)
* 沈氏 (Cantonese)
* 沈姓 (Gan)
* Sím (súi-pêng) (Southern Min)
* Shěn (English)

#### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Standard)
       (Pinyin): shěn (shen$^3$)
       (Zhuyin): ㄕㄣˇ
    (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): sen$^3$
* Cantonese
    (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): sam$^2$
    (Taishan, Wiktionary): sim$^2$
* Gan (Wiktionary): siin$^3$
* Hakka
    (Sixian, PFS): sṳ́m
    (Hailu, HRS): shim$^ˊ$
    (Meixian, Guangdong): sem$^3$
* Jin (Wiktionary): seng$^2$
* Eastern Min (BUC): sīng
* Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): sing$^3$
* Southern Min
    (Hokkien, POJ): sím
    (Teochew, Peng'im): sim$^2$
* Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): $^5$sen
* Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): shen$^3$
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: shěn
*** Zhuyin: ㄕㄣˇ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: shěn
*** Wade–Giles: shên$^3$
*** Yale: shěn
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: sheen
*** Palladius: шэнь (šɛnʹ)
*** Sinological IPA : /ʂən²¹⁴/
** (Chengdu)
*** Sichuanese Pinyin: sen$^3$
*** Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: sen
*** Sinological IPA : /sən⁵³/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: sam$^2$
*** Yale: sám
*** Cantonese Pinyin: sam$^2$
*** Guangdong Romanization: sem$^2$
*** Sinological IPA : /sɐm³⁵/
** (Taishanese, Taicheng)
*** Wiktionary: sim$^2$
*** Sinological IPA : /sim⁵⁵/
* Gan
** (Nanchang)
*** Wiktionary: siin$^3$
*** Sinological IPA : /sɨn²¹³/
* Hakka
** (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
*** Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: sṳ́m
*** Hakka Romanization System: siim$^ˋ$
*** Hagfa Pinyim: sim$^3$
*** Sinological IPA: /sɨm³¹/
** (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
*** Hakka Romanization System: shim$^ˊ$
*** Sinological IPA: /ʃim²⁴/
** (Meixian)
*** Guangdong: sem$^3$
*** Sinological IPA: /səm³¹/
* Jin
** (Taiyuan)
*** Wiktionary: seng$^2$
*** Sinological IPA (old-style): /səŋ⁵³/
* Eastern Min
** (Fuzhou)
*** Bàng-uâ-cê: sīng
*** Sinological IPA : /siŋ³³/
* Puxian Min
** (Putian)
*** Pouseng Ping'ing: sing$^3$
*** Sinological IPA : /ɬiŋ⁴⁵³/
** (Xianyou)
*** Pouseng Ping'ing: sing$^3$
*** Sinological IPA : /ɬiŋ³³²/
* Southern Min
** (Hokkien)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: sím
*** Tâi-lô: sím
*** Phofsit Daibuun: siem
*** IPA (Xiamen): /sim⁵³/
*** IPA (Quanzhou): /sim⁵⁵⁴/
*** IPA (Zhangzhou): /sim⁵³/
*** IPA (Taipei): /sim⁵³/
*** IPA (Kaohsiung): /sim⁴¹/
** (Teochew)
*** Peng'im: sim$^2$
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: sím
*** Sinological IPA : /sim⁵²/
* Wu
** (Northern: Shanghai)
*** Wugniu: $^5$sen
*** MiniDict: sen$^去$
*** Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): $^2$sen
*** Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /sən³⁴/
* Xiang
** (Changsha)
*** Wiktionary: shen$^3$
*** Sinological IPA (old-style): /ʂən⁴¹/
*** Sinological IPA (new-style): /sən⁴¹/
* Middle Chinese: syimX
Rime :
| Character | 沈 |
| Reading # | 2/3 |
| Initial (聲) | 書 (26) |
| Final (韻) | 侵 (139) |
| Tone (調) | Rising (X) |
| Openness (開合) | Open |
| Division (等) | III |
| Fanqie | 式任切 |
| Baxter | syimX |
| Reconstructions ||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /ɕiɪm$^X$/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /ɕim$^X$/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /ɕjem$^X$/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /ɕim$^X$/ |
| Li Rong | /ɕiəm$^X$/ |
| Wang Li | /ɕĭĕm$^X$/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /ɕi̯əm$^X$/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | shěn |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | sam$^2$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Baxter–Sagart): /*[s.t][ə]mʔ/
    (Zhengzhang): /*hljumʔ/
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014) :
| Character | 沈 |
| Reading # | 5/5 |
| Modern Beijing (Pinyin) | shěn |
| Middle Chinese | ‹ syim$^X$ › |
| Old Chinese | /*[s.t][ə]mʔ/ |
| English | (name of a state) |
| Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary. ||
Zhengzhang system (2003) :
| Character | 沈 |
| Reading # | 3/3 |
| No. | 15267 |
| Phonetic component | 冘 |
| Rime group | 侵 |
| Rime subdivision | 3 |
| Corresponding MC rime | |
| Old Chinese | /*hljumʔ/ |
| Notes | 周國名，荏由任校改同集韻 |

#### Definitions

沈
* (historical) Shen, a state during the Zhou dynasty and located in modern-day Henan
    From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4th century BCE
    Sānnián, chūn, Zhuāngshū huì zhūhóu zhī shī fá Shěn, yǐ qí fú yú chǔ yě, Shěn kuì. Fán mín táo qí shàng yuē kuì, zàishàng yuē táo. [Pinyin]
    In the third year's spring, Zhuangshu gathered the various princes' armies and attacked Shen, because it had submitted to Chu. Shen was routed. Whenever the people deserted their superiors, it's called "rout"; when superiors do so, it's called "desert".
* a surname
    沈括 ― Shěn Kuò ― Shen Kuo (Song dynasty scientist)

#### Compounds

* 任筆沈詩 / 任笔沈诗
* 沈營 (Shěnyíng)
* 沈畈 (Shěnfàn)
* 沈腰
* 沈腰潘鬢
* 潘鬢沈腰

### Etymology 4
#### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): tán (tan$^2$)
    (Zhuyin): ㄊㄢˊ
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: tán
*** Zhuyin: ㄊㄢˊ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: tán
*** Wade–Giles: tʻan$^2$
*** Yale: tán
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tarn
*** Palladius: тань (tanʹ)
*** Sinological IPA : /tʰän³⁵/

#### Definitions

沈
* Only used in 沈沈.

## Japanese
### Kanji

(Jōyō kanji)
* sink
* be submerged
* subside
* be depressed
* aloes

#### Readings

* Go-on: しん (shin)、じん (jin)
* Kan-on: しん (shin)、ちん (chin, Jōyō)
* Kun: しずむ (shizumu, 沈む, Jōyō)、しずめる (shizumeru, 沈める, Jōyō)

## Korean
### Etymology 1

From Middle Chinese 沈 (MC drim).
* Recorded as Middle Korean 띰 (Yale: ttim) in Dongguk Jeongun (東國正韻 / 동국정운), 1448.
* Recorded as Middle Korean 沉/팀 (thim)$^訓$ (Yale: thim) in Sinjeung Yuhap (新增類合 / 신증유합), 1576.

#### Pronunciation

* (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA: [t͡ɕʰim]
* Phonetic hangul: [침]

#### Hanja

Wikisource 沈 (eumhun 잠길 침 (jamgil chim))
* hanja form of 침 (“to sink; to submerge”)
* hanja form of 침 (“to indulge in”)
* hanja form of 침 (“dark; gloomy”)

#### Compounds

* 격침 (擊沈, gyeokchim)
* 부침 (浮沈, buchim)
* 침강 (沈降, chimgang)
* 침몰 (沈沒, chimmol, “sinking; going under”)
* 침묵 (沈默, chimmuk, “silence; reticence”)
* 침수 (沈水, chimsu)
* 침울 (沈鬱, chimul)
* 침전 (沈澱, chimjeon)
* 침착 (沈着, chimchak)
* 침체 (沈滯, chimche)
* 침통 (沈痛, chimtong)
* 침하 (沈下, chimha)

### Etymology 2

From Middle Chinese 沈 (MC syimX).
* Recorded as Middle Korean 심〯 (Yale: sǐm) in Dongguk Jeongun (東國正韻 / 동국정운), 1448.

#### Pronunciation

* (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA: [ɕʰi(ː)m]
* Phonetic hangul: [심(ː)]
** Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

#### Hanja

沈 (eumhun 성씨 심 (seongssi sim))
* hanja form of 심 (“a surname”)

### References

* 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典.

## Vietnamese
### Han character

沈: Hán Nôm readings: trầm, đắm
* This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.