陷 (xiàn) - To sink & to fall into

陷Tone 4

xiàn ｜ 10 strokes ｜ radical:

万响

陷 · xiàn

To sink;

to fall into;

trap;

pitfall;

to frame or implicate someone;

defect;

deficiency.

To sinkto fall intotrap

Usage highlights

Fall intoTrapDefectBesiegeFrame someonePitfall

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • 升— to rise, ascend
  • 浮— to float

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The car got stuck in the mud (陷入泥潭).
  • He fell into a trap (陷入陷阱).
  • The city was besieged by enemy forces (城市被围陷).
  • She was falsely accused of a crime (她被诬陷).

Collocations

  • Fall into(陷入)
  • Trap(陷阱)
  • Defect(缺陷)
  • Besiege(攻陷)
  • Frame someone(陷害)
  • Pitfall(陷坑)

Idioms

  • Advancing by attacking the weak points(攻瑕蹈陷)
  • To fall into a trap(陷入圈套)
  • Full of pitfalls(危机四伏，陷阱重重)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In military strategy, '陷' refers to vulnerable points in defense that can be exploited.
  • In moral contexts, it often warns against temptations or situations that lead to downfall.
  • The character appears in warnings about moral or literal pitfalls in classical texts.

FAQ