沉
chén · HSK 4
to sink
🌊 氵 (water) + 冘 — something heavy goes down into the water
沉 chén = to sink/submerge. The 氵 radical marks water; the right side 冘 once depicted a weighted figure descending. Also extends to feelings: 沉重 chénzhòng = heavy, weighty (mood or load).
沉 — water 氵 + 冘 (phonetic, sinking figure)
Originally written 沈, this character combines the water radical 氵 with 冘, depicting a person sinking. It pictured an object or person submerged in water, giving the core meaning 'to sink.' From there it extended metaphorically to 'deep,' 'heavy,' and 'submerged in thought,' as in 沉默 (silent) or 沉重 (heavy).