滯 (zhì) - stagnant & sluggish

滯Tone 4

zhì ｜ 14 strokes ｜ radical:

志

滯 · zhì

stagnant;

sluggish;

delayed;

obstructed;

to stagnate;

to be held up

stagnantsluggishdelayed

Usage highlights

stagnant watertraffic jamslowunsold inventorystagnant thinkingdelayed payment

Synonyms

  • 停— stop; halt
  • 堵— block; clog
  • 塞— block up; stuff

Antonyms

  • 流— flow; stream
  • 通— unblock; through
  • 畅— smooth; unimpeded

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The water in the pond is stagnant (水很滞).
  • Traffic is moving slowly (交通滞缓).
  • His thinking is rigid (思想滞涩).
  • The shipment was delayed (货物滞运).

Collocations

  • stagnant water(滞水)
  • traffic jam(交通滞塞)
  • slow-moving(滞缓)
  • unsold inventory(滞销)
  • stagnant thinking(滞思)
  • delayed payment(滞纳金)

Idioms

  • Stagnant and blocked(滞滞泥泥)
  • Stuck and unable to advance(停滞不前)
  • Slow-witted and dull(呆滞不灵)
  • Obstructed and not smooth(滞涩不通)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Chinese medicine, 'stagnation' refers to blocked qi or blood flow causing health issues.
  • In business contexts, '滞销' describes unsold goods, reflecting economic stagnation.
  • The character embodies the negative connotation of obstruction in both physical and metaphorical flows.

FAQ