深 meaning and stroke order
(lit. and fig.) deep
How to write 深, stroke by stroke
11 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 深
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (lit. and fig.) deep
- old variant of 深[shen1]
How 深 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Deep 罙 water 氵.
Radical: 氵 (water), shared by 467 characters on this site.
How to remember 深
The water radical 氵 sits next to 罙, which the etymology describes as "deep." Picture water that goes deep down, and you have 深 (shēn), deep.
深 describes physical depth, like water or a hole, and also depth of feeling, thought, color, or time. It appears in many common words such as 深刻 (shēnkè, profound) and 深夜 (shēnyè, very late at night). Example: 这条河很深。(Zhè tiáo hé hěn shēn.) This river is very deep.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 深 with 探 (tàn, to explore), which has the same right side 罙 but uses the hand radical 扌 instead of water 氵. Remember that deep needs water, and exploring needs a hand.
Common words with 深
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 深刻 | shēnkè | profound; deep | HSK 3 |
| 深入 | shēnrù | to penetrate deeply; thorough | HSK 3 |
| 深厚 | shēnhòu | deep; profound | HSK 4 |
| 深处 | shēnchù | abyss; depths | HSK 5 |
| 深度 | shēndù | depth; (of a speech etc) profundity | HSK 5 |
| 深深 | shēnshēn | deep; profound | HSK 6 |
| 深化 | shēnhuà | to deepen; to intensify | HSK 6 |
| 深夜 | shēnyè | very late at night | HSK 7-9 |
| 深信 | shēnxìn | to believe firmly | HSK 7-9 |
| 资深 | zīshēn | senior; highly experienced; veteran | HSK 7-9 |
| 深受 | shēnshòu | to receive in no small measure | HSK 7-9 |
| 深情 | shēnqíng | deep emotion; deep feeling; deep love; affectionate; loving | HSK 7-9 |
| 深切 | shēnqiè | deeply felt; heartfelt | HSK 7-9 |
| 深远 | shēnyuǎn | far-reaching; profound and long-lasting | HSK 7-9 |
深 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 深
How many strokes are in 深?
深 is written with 11 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 深 mean?
深 (shēn) means (lit. and fig.) deep. A common word with it is 深刻 (shēnkè), meaning "profound; deep".
How do you pronounce 深?
深 is pronounced shēn, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 深?
The radical of 深 is 氵, which carries the idea of "water". Dictionaries list 深 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 深?
The traditional form of 深 is 㴱. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 深 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 深 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 深 is part of the HSK 3 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 2.
What is the opposite of 深 in Chinese?
The opposite is 浅 (qiǎn), meaning shallow. It also works figuratively, so 深色 (shēnsè) is a dark color and 浅色 (qiǎnsè) is a light color.
Can 深 describe colors or time?
Yes. 深 means dark when used with colors, as in 深蓝 (shēnlán, dark blue). With time it means late or far into a period, as in 深夜 (shēnyè, late at night).