Readings: チン (Onyomi), しず-む, しず-める (Kunyomi)
Meaning: sink, be submerged, settle, subside, feel depressed
形声 (Keisei – phono-semantic compound). The radical 氵 (water) indicates meaning, and the right part (originally 𠃓) indicates sound. The original meaning relates to sinking into water.
View JLPT N2 Kanji ListHow to Write – Stroke Order
The stroke order for 沈 begins with the three dots of the water radical (氵) on the left. Then, the right part is written starting with the vertical stroke, followed by the two horizontal strokes, and finally the bottom two strokes.
Kanji Details
| Radical | 氵 (さんずい – water) |
|---|---|
| Strokes | 7 |
| JLPT Level | N2 |
| Grade | S (Jouyou Kanji) |
Readings with English Transcription
Onyomi (Chinese readings)
- チン (Chin)
Kunyomi (Japanese readings)
- しずむ (Shizumu)
- しずめる (Shizumeru)
Common Words Using 沈
Onyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 沈没 | ちんぼつ | sinking, foundering (e.g., ship) |
| 沈黙 | ちんもく | silence, being quiet |
| 沈滞 | ちんたい | stagnation, slump (e.g., economy) |
| 沈降 | ちんこう | settling, precipitation |
| 沈殿 | ちんでん | precipitation, sediment |
| 沈静 | ちんせい | calming down, settling down |
| 沈着 | ちんちゃく | calm, composed |
| 沈思 | ちんし | deep thought, meditation |
| 沈痛 | ちんつう | grievous, sad, solemn |
| 沈鬱 | ちんうつ | gloom, melancholy, depression |
Kunyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 沈む | しずむ | to sink, to go down, to feel depressed (intransitive) |
| 沈める | しずめる | to sink (something), to submerge (transitive) |
| 夕日が沈む | ゆうひがしずむ | the setting sun |
| 気が沈む | きがしずむ | to feel depressed/down |
| 水に沈む | みずにしずむ | to sink in water |
| 船が沈む | ふねがしずむ | a ship sinks |
| 声を沈める | こえをしずめる | to lower one’s voice |
| 身を沈める | みをしずめる | to go into hiding, to settle down |
| 顔を沈める | かおをしずめる | to lower one’s face/gaze |
| 泥に沈む | どろにしずむ | to sink in mud |
Example Sentences
Japanese: 船が嵐で海に沈んだ。
Kana: ふねがあらしでうみにしずんだ。
Romaji: Fune ga arashi de umi ni shizunda.
English: The ship sank in the sea during the storm.
Japanese: 彼の言葉に、皆が沈黙した。
Kana: かれのことばに、みんながちんもくした。
Romaji: Kare no kotoba ni, minna ga chinmoku shita.
English: Everyone fell silent at his words.
Japanese: 夕日が水平線にゆっくりと沈んでいった。
Kana: ゆうひがすいへいせんにゆっくりとしずんでいった。
Romaji: Yūhi ga suiheisen ni yukkuri to shizunde itta.
English: The setting sun slowly sank below the horizon.
Japanese: 景気の沈滞が続いている。
Kana: けいきのちんたいがつづいている。
Romaji: Keiki no chintai ga tsuzuite iru.
English: The economic stagnation continues.
Japanese: 悪い知らせを聞いて、彼女は深く沈んだ。
Kana: わるいしらせをきいて、かのじょはふかくしずんだ。
Romaji: Warui shirase o kiite, kanojo wa fukaku shizunda.
English: Hearing the bad news, she became deeply depressed.
Japanese: 政府は事態の沈静化を図った。
Kana: せいふはじたいのちんせいかをはかった。
Romaji: Seifu wa jitai no chinseika o hakatta.
English: The government tried to calm down the situation.
Japanese: 彼は沈着な態度で問題を解決した。
Kana: かれはちんちゃくなたいどでもんだいをかいけつした。
Romaji: Kare wa chinchaku na taido de mondai o kaiketsu shita.
English: He solved the problem with a calm attitude.
Japanese: 水底に沈んだ財宝を探す。
Kana: すいていにしずんだざいほうをさがす。
Romaji: Suitei ni shizunda zaihō o sagasu.
English: Search for the treasure sunk at the bottom of the water.
Japanese: コーヒーの粉がカップの底に沈殿している。
Kana: コーヒーのこながカップのそこにしんでんしている。
Romaji: Kōhī no kona ga kappu no soko ni chinden shite iru.
English: The coffee grounds are settling at the bottom of the cup.
Japanese: 彼女は悲しみに沈んだ声で話した。
Kana: かのじょはかなしみにしずんだこえではなした。
Romaji: Kanojo wa kanashimi ni shizunda koe de hanashita.
English: She spoke in a voice heavy with sadness.
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