Chinese word

沉迷

Pronunciation

Pinyinchén mí

Meaning

  • verbbe engrossed in

Example

她一看书就会沉迷，忘了时间。tā yí kàn shū jiù huì chén mí wàng le shí jiān

Whenever she reads a book, she gets engrossed in it and forgets the time.

Illustration for 沉迷 (be engrossed in)

More examples

他因为沉迷于网络游戏，连续好几天没睡觉。tā yīn wèi chén mí yú wǎng luò yóu xì lián xù hǎo jǐ tiān méi shuì jiào

Because he was absorbed in online games, he went several days without sleep.

Core concept

A person sinks so deeply into an activity that the outside world fades and returning to ordinary life becomes difficult.

Common phrases

  • 沉迷于网络游戏chén mí yú wǎng luò yóu xì

    be absorbed in online games

  • 沉迷手机chén mí shǒu jī

    be absorbed in one's smartphone

  • 沉迷学习chén mí xué xí

    be absorbed in studying

Similar words

上瘾shàng yǐn: Become dependent on a substance or activity and unable to stop even when wanting to.
沉溺chén nì: Give in deeply to pleasure or desire and become unable to escape, harming ordinary life.
入迷rù mí: Become fascinated by something and pay little attention to the real world.

Definition in Chinese

对某种活动或事物过度投入，难以自拔，常导致生活或工作受到影响。duì móu zhǒng huó dòng huò shì wù guò dù tóu rù nán yǐ zì bá cháng dǎo zhì shēng huó huò gōng zuò shòu dào yíng xiǎng

Word origin

沉 (chén, "sink") + 迷 (mí, "lose one's way") portrays deep involvement as sinking into something and losing the way back out.

Usage tips

  • The word fits situations where an activity takes more time and attention than intended, so it is stronger and more cautionary than a neutral description of focused attention.

Other meanings

  • be addicted toverb

Opposites

  • 戒除jiè chúgive upverb
  • 节制jié zhìrestrain oneselfverb

Related words

  • 沉迷者chén mí zhěaddictnoun

Word lists with this word