The word describes being completely covered by water or overwhelmed by an excess of something.
Word in 30 Seconds
- To be covered or submerged by water
- Metaphorically used to mean overwhelmed by emotions or information
- Often implies being completely surrounded or hidden from view
用法模式：该词通常带有被动色彩，即主语是被淹没的对象。常见的结构为“某物被（大水/人潮/声音）淹没”。在文学创作中，它常与“声音”、“掌声”、“记忆”等搭配，表达一种强烈的压迫感或消失感。
- 1常见语境：在新闻报道中，它常用于描述自然灾害（洪水、海啸）；在日常生活中，它常用于表达被过多的工作或信息“淹没”（即应接不暇）；在文学作品中，它常用来描写角色被巨大的情感或外界环境所包围，失去了自我感。
Examples
洪水淹没了村庄。
everydayThe flood submerged the village.
观众的掌声淹没了他的发言。
formalThe audience's applause drowned out his speech.
我被没完没了的邮件淹没了。
informalI was overwhelmed by endless emails.
该地区因海平面上升而面临被淹没的风险。
academicThe area faces the risk of being submerged due to rising sea levels.
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
淹没在人海中
Lost in a sea of people
淹没在信息中
Overwhelmed by information
面临淹没
Facing submersion
Often Confused With
Covers a broader range of meanings including physical objects like snow or fabric. It does not necessarily imply being underwater.
Refers specifically to death by drowning. Use this only when talking about living beings losing their lives in water.
Grammar Patterns
How to Use It
Usage Notes
The word is versatile and used in both formal and informal registers. When used physically, it is objective. When used metaphorically, it often conveys a sense of being 'overwhelmed' or 'lost'.
Common Mistakes
Learners often use it for any type of covering (like a blanket covering a bed). Remember it must involve water or an abstract 'flood' of something.
Tips
Think of water level rising
Imagine a rising tide covering a beach to remember the core meaning. It helps visualize how the object disappears under the surface.
Don't confuse with drowning
Remember that '淹没' is about covering, while '淹死' is about the fatal result. Using them interchangeably can change the meaning significantly.
Common in disaster news
In Chinese media, this word is frequently used during rainy seasons to describe flooded streets. It carries a sense of urgency.
Word Origin
The character combines the water radical (氵) with the phonetic component (奄), which suggests covering or concealing. It evolved from describing natural flooding to emotional states.
Cultural Context
In Chinese culture, floods have historically been a major threat to agriculture, making the term '淹没' carry a slightly negative or catastrophic connotation in historical texts.
Memory Tip
Think of the radical '氵' (water) on the left side of the character. It literally means water is rising to cover things.
Frequently Asked Questions
4 questions“淹没”侧重于物理空间的覆盖，不一定导致死亡；“淹死”则明确指因浸没在水中而导致生命终结。
可以。形容巨大的声音盖过了较小的声音，例如“他的呼喊声被嘈杂的音乐淹没了”。
常用于表达工作压力大，例如“我最近被堆积如山的文件淹没了”，意指忙得喘不过气。
它属于中性词，既可用于严肃的新闻报道，也可用于日常口语交流，适用范围很广。
Test Yourself
大雨过后，低洼地区的农田都被洪水___了。
洪水导致农田处于水面下，用淹没最准确。
选项如下：
淹没通常指被水或抽象事物覆盖，书放在桌上应用“放”或“堆”。
用“淹没”造句，描述忙碌的状态。
被动语态更能体现出被任务压得喘不过气的感觉。
Score: /3
Summary
The word describes being completely covered by water or overwhelmed by an excess of something.
- To be covered or submerged by water
- Metaphorically used to mean overwhelmed by emotions or information
- Often implies being completely surrounded or hidden from view
Think of water level rising
Imagine a rising tide covering a beach to remember the core meaning. It helps visualize how the object disappears under the surface.
Don't confuse with drowning
Remember that '淹没' is about covering, while '淹死' is about the fatal result. Using them interchangeably can change the meaning significantly.
Common in disaster news
In Chinese media, this word is frequently used during rainy seasons to describe flooded streets. It carries a sense of urgency.
Examples
4 of 4洪水淹没了村庄。
The flood submerged the village.
观众的掌声淹没了他的发言。
The audience's applause drowned out his speech.
我被没完没了的邮件淹没了。
I was overwhelmed by endless emails.
该地区因海平面上升而面临被淹没的风险。
The area faces the risk of being submerged due to rising sea levels.
