渗 (shèn) · to seep; to ooze

Meanings

1 to seep; to ooze
2 to permeate; to penetrate

Characters

渗

shèn

seep; ooze; permeate

Examples

HSK 5

雨水渗进了地下。

Yǔshuǐ shèn jìn le dìxià.

Rainwater seeped into the ground.

HSK 6

水从墙壁里渗出来了。

Shuǐ cóng qiángbì lǐ shèn chūlái le.

Water is seeping out from the wall.

HSK 6

伤口还在渗血。

Shāngkǒu hái zài shèn xuè.

The wound is still oozing blood.

Tips

usage

渗 describes slow, gradual movement of liquids through a surface. Common complements: 渗出 (seep out), 渗进 (seep in), 渗入 (permeate into). The compound 渗透 extends the meaning to figurative penetration/infiltration.

Components

radical

氵 shuǐ

water (radical form of 水)

Three-drops water radical on the left - the side form of 水 compressed into three slanted strokes. Carries the meaning: seeping and oozing are slow water-actions, so the radical puts 渗 in the liquid-movement family alongside 流 flow, 滴 drip, 浸 soak, 漏 leak.

phonetic

参 shēn

ginseng; to take part (here phonetic)

Right side 参 supplies the sound - shēn drifting to shèn through a tone shift in the same series. 参 originally pictured a constellation of three stars over a person; the link to 渗 is purely phonetic. Same phonetic appears in 掺 to mix in and 惨 miserable, neither sharing water meaning.