din6澱淀
Jyutpingdin6
Yaledihn
Definition
To settle, sink, or precipitate; to form a sediment at the bottom of a liquid.
neutraldaily actionsother
How it's used
This character is primarily used in scientific or formal contexts to describe the process of sedimentation. In everyday spoken Cantonese, people often prefer using 沉底 or 沉落去 instead of using this word as a standalone verb. It is most commonly encountered in the compound 沉澱, which can also be used metaphorically to describe the accumulation of life experiences or knowledge over time.
Examples
After leaving the glass of water for a while, some sand started to settle at the bottom.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 澱粉, which refers to starch. While the character is the same, the meaning in the context of food is entirely different from the physical action of sinking or settling.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
