Chinese word

沉重

Pronunciation

Pinyinchén zhòng

Meaning

  • adjectiveheavy

Example

沉重的气氛让大家安静下来。chén zhòng de qì fēn ràng dà jiā ān jìng xià lái

The heavy atmosphere made everyone fall silent.

Illustration for 沉重 (heavy)

More examples

她走进来，脚步很沉重。tā zǒu jìn lái jiǎo bù hěn chén zhòng

She came in with very heavy footsteps.

Core concept

A downward pull that makes a body, feeling, atmosphere, or responsibility hard to carry.

Common phrases

  • 沉重的语气chén zhòng de yǔ qì

    heavy tone

  • 沉重的脚步chén zhòng de jiǎo bù

    heavy footsteps

  • 沉重的指责chén zhòng de zhǐ zé

    severe criticism

Similar words

悲伤bēi shāng: Filled with deep sadness that lingers quietly.
沉闷chén mèn: Describing a dark, dull atmosphere that slows energy and makes the room feel lifeless.
压抑yā yì: Making feelings hard to express and leaving the mind tense and weighed down.
重大zhòng dà: Of great importance or with effects that reach far.

Definition in Chinese

形容气氛、心情或负担使人感到压抑、沉闷，好像有看不见的重量压在心上。xíng róng qì fēn xīn qíng huò fù dān shǐ rén gǎn dào yā yì chén mèn hǎo xiàng yǒu kàn bú jiàn de zhòng liàng yā zài xīn shàng

Word origin

沉重 (chénzhòng, "heavy") combines 沉 (chén, "sink") with 重 (zhòng, "heavy"), extending the sense of being pressed down from physical weight to feelings, atmospheres, and burdens.

Usage tips

  • The word often appears before nouns for moods, atmospheres, and responsibilities, marking a shift from light conversation to a weightier situation.

Other meanings

  • seriousadjective

Opposites

Related words

  • 沉重感chén zhòng gǎnheavinessnoun
  • 沉重地chén zhòng dìheavilyadverb

Word lists with this word