Chinese word

沾

Pronunciation

Pinyinzhān

Meaning

  • verbget on

Example

别让衣服沾油。bié ràng yī fú zhān yóu

Don't let oil get on your clothes.

Illustration for 沾 (get on)

More examples

搬运时箱子外面沾了泥土。bān yùn shí xiāng zi wài miàn zhān le ní tǔ

During transport, the outside of the box got dirt on it.

Core concept

Contact leaves a little something behind, either as a visible mark on a surface or as a gain from a connection.

Common phrases

  • 沾上泥土zhān shàng ní tǔ

    get dirt on

  • 沾上墨汁zhān shàng mò zhī

    get ink on

Similar words

蘸zhàn: Dips the tip or edge of something briefly into liquid so a little liquid coats it.
粘zhān: Clings to a surface so firmly that it is difficult to remove.
贴tiē: Attaches something to another surface and holds it firmly in place.
染rǎn: Transfers color or dirt onto a surface and spreads into it.

Definition in Chinese

指液体、油渍或微小杂质接触后留在物体表面，形成局部的附着或污点；在某些搭配中也可引申为因关系或机缘而得到好处（如‘沾光’）。zhǐ yè tǐ yóu zì huò wēi xiǎo zá zhì jiē chù hòu liú zài wù tǐ biǎo miàn xíng chéng jú bù de fù zhuó huò wū diǎn zài mǒu xiē dā pèi zhōng yě kě yǐn shēn wèi yīn guān xì huò jī yuán ér dé dào hǎo chù rú zhān guāng

Word origin

The early sense of 沾 (zhān, "to get on") concerns dampness left by contact, a concrete basis for both a spot on an object and a benefit acquired through connection.

Usage tips

  • The verb is natural in brief household cautions because it highlights an unwanted trace without claiming that the whole item is dirty.

Other meanings

  • get dirtyverb

Opposites

  • 擦掉cā diàowipe offverb
  • 甩掉shuǎi diàoshake offverb

Related words

Word lists with this word