湮 (yān) - To submerge & to sink

湮Tone 1

yān ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

信嫣

湮 · yān

To submerge;

to sink;

to bury;

to obliterate;

to annihilate;

to disappear without trace.

To submergeto sinkto bury

Usage highlights

Submerge and disappearAnnihilate completelyBury and concealObliterate without traceHistorical obliterationSubmerged in obscurity

Synonyms

  • 没— to sink; to submerge
  • 灭— to extinguish; to destroy
  • 埋— to bury; to conceal
  • 沉— to sink; to submerge

Antonyms

  • 显— to appear; to manifest
  • 露— to reveal; to expose
  • 现— to appear; to emerge
  • 扬— to spread; to publicize

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The ancient city was submerged by the flood (湮没).
  • Many historical records have been lost to time (湮灭).
  • The evidence was completely destroyed (湮灭).
  • The river silt gradually buried the ruins (湮埋).

Collocations

  • Submerge and disappear(湮没)
  • Annihilate completely(湮灭)
  • Bury and conceal(湮埋)
  • Obliterate without trace(湮殁)
  • Historical obliteration(湮废)
  • Submerged in obscurity(湮晦)

Idioms

  • To vanish without a trace(湮没无闻)
  • To be buried and forgotten(湮灭不彰)
  • Historical records lost to time(年湮代远)
  • To sink into oblivion(湮没不传)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Chinese historiography, '湮' often describes historical events or figures that have been lost or forgotten over time.
  • The character carries connotations of irreversible loss and complete destruction, often used in philosophical contexts about impermanence.
  • In traditional Chinese thought, '湮' represents the ultimate fate of things that cannot withstand the test of time.

FAQ