深
shēn · HSK 3
deep
🌊 sounds like 'shen' — sinks down deep; 氵(water) + 罙 (going far in)
The 氵radical marks water; the right side 罙 once depicted reaching far into a cave. Together: water that reaches far down — deep, profound. Extends from physical depth to abstract depth (deep knowledge, profound feelings).
深 — water radical 氵 + 罙 (phonetic, depth)
深 combines the water radical 氵 with 罙, which depicts a hand reaching into a cave or hollow. Originally it described deep water, then broadened to mean 'deep' in any sense — distance, color, or feeling. The 氵 gives the meaning, while 罙 hints at both sound and the idea of reaching far in.