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沉思

chén sī
HSK 2.0 Level 6 HSK 3.0 Level 7 Verb Uncommon

Definitions

  1. 1. to contemplate
  2. 2. to ponder
  3. 3. contemplation
  4. 4. meditation

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Word relationships

Related words

2 items
冥想
míng xiǎng

to meditate

Meditation, often in a spiritual or mindfulness context.
反思
fǎn sī

to think back over sth

Reflect, often implying reviewing past actions or thoughts.

Synonyms

2 items
深思
shēn sī

to ponder

Both mean to think deeply, but 沉思 often implies a quiet, absorbed state.
思索
sī suǒ

to think deeply

Both indicate pondering; 沉思 is more about silent contemplation.

Usage notes

Collocations

Often used in literary or formal contexts, e.g., 陷入沉思 (sink into contemplation).

Common mistakes

Don't use 沉思 for casual 'thinking'; it implies deep, often prolonged contemplation.

Example Sentences

1 shown
他坐在窗前 沉思 。
He sat by the window, lost in contemplation.

AI-generated examples are marked with this icon.

Child Words of 沉思

沉
chén

to submerge

思
sī

to think