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Kotomora

深

deep, heighten, intensify, strengthen

JLPTN3StatusJōyō · grade 3FrequencyTop 500Strokes11

Readings

On'yomi

  • シン

Kun'yomi

  • ふか.い
  • -ぶか.い
  • ふか.まる
  • ふか.める
  • み-

Meaning

深 centers on physical or metaphorical depth: going far down, becoming intense, or strengthening a quality. The given meanings all extend from the idea of something being deep.

Most common words using 深

20 of 241
  • 深いふかい
    N4

    deep

  • 深夜しんや
    N3

    late at night

  • 深刻しんこく
    N3

    serious; severe; grave; acute

  • 興味深いきょうみぶかい
    N2

    very interesting; of great interest

  • 深海しんかい

    deep sea; depths of the sea; ocean depths

  • 奥深いおくふかい

    profound; deep

  • 深まるふかまる
    N2

    to deepen; to heighten; to intensify

  • 深田ふかだ

    muddy rice field

  • 深層しんそう

    depths; deep level

  • 深めるふかめる
    N2

    to deepen; to heighten; to intensify

  • 深呼吸しんこきゅう

    deep breath

  • 深みふかみ
    N2

    deep place; depths

  • 水深すいしん

    depth of water

  • 深度しんど

    depth

  • 感慨深いかんがいぶかい

    deeply emotive; moving

  • 深淵しんえん

    abyss; ravine

  • 罪深いつみぶかい

    sinful; wicked; immoral

  • 注意深くちゅういぶかく

    attentively; cautiously; carefully; watchfully; with caution

  • 深紅しんく

    deep crimson

  • 味わい深いあじわいぶかい

    enlightening; deep; meaningful; profound; subtle; rich in nuance

Explore all words using 深 →

Study

Etymology

深 combines 氵 (water) with 罙, a component that likely contributes the sound and the idea of depth or penetration. The water radical reinforces the sense of deep water.

Meaning mnemonic

Water 氵 on the left and a deep-reaching shape 罙 on the right: imagine a deep well or a profound depth that intensifies everything.

Reading mnemonic

For シン, picture a deep, thin crevice in the ocean floor: thin -> シン, and the water above is deep.