沾染

zhānrǎn

verb #28,423

Meanings

1 to contaminate
2 to be infected by
3 to pick up (a bad habit)

Characters

to moisten; to touch; to be in contact with

to dye; to infect; to contaminate

Examples

他沾染了不良习惯，令父母担心。

Tā zhānrǎn le bùliáng xíguàn, lìng fùmǔ dānxīn.

He picked up bad habits, worrying his parents.

这片土壤已被化学物质沾染。

Zhè piàn tǔrǎng yǐ bèi huàxué wùzhì zhānrǎn.

This soil has been contaminated by chemicals.

Tips

usage

沾染 can refer to both physical contamination (e.g. radioactive material) and moral corruption (e.g. bad habits). Context determines which sense is meant.

Stroke Order

沾 zhān

染 rǎn