沁

qìn

verb #51,720

Meanings

1 to seep
2 to permeate
3 to ooze through

Characters

沁

qìn

to seep; permeate

Examples

花的香气沁人心脾。

Huā de xiāngqì qìnrénxīnpí.

The fragrance of the flowers was refreshingly sweet.

汗水从他额头沁出来。

Hànshuǐ cóng tā étóu qìn chūlái.

Sweat seeped out of his forehead.

Tips

usage

The signature phrase is 沁人心脾 — a scent or feeling so fresh it 'seeps into your heart'. 沁 is liquid or aroma soaking slowly through something, not splashing.

Components

radical

氵 shuǐ

water

Left-side water radical, the three-drop form of 水. The character is about liquid soaking through, so water carries the meaning.

phonetic

心 xīn

heart; (here) sound

Right side 心 gives the sound (qìn shifted from xīn). It also hints at the famous idiom where the scent seeps right into the heart.

Stroke Order

沁 qìn

沁