淫

See also: 婬

淫 U+6DEB, 淫 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-6DEB ← 淪 [U+6DEA] CJK Unified Ideographs 淬 → [U+6DEC]

Translingual

Han character

淫 (Kangxi radical 85, 水+8, 11 strokes, cangjie input 水月竹土 (EBHG), four-corner 3211₄, composition ⿰氵㸒)

Derived characters

• 𠽍, 𢴏, 𪱬, 𤎛, 𦹻, 霪, 𱎍

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 631, character 9
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 17678
• Dae Jaweon: page 1033, character 12
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 3, page 1654, character 4
• Unihan data for U+6DEB

Bailang

Etymology

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *k-jim ~ k-jum (“house”). Compare Burmese အိမ် (im, “house”).

Noun

淫 (*jəm)

1. house

References

• Hill, Nathan W. (2017) “Songs of the Bailang: A New Transcription with Etymological Commentary”, in Bulletin de l'École française d'Extrême-Orient‎, volume 103, pages 386—429

Chinese

trad.		淫
simp. #		淫
alternative forms		滛

Glyph origin

	Old Chinese
淫	*lɯm
霪	*lɯm
婬	*lɯm

Characters in the same phonetic series (淫) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *lɯm): semantic 氵 (“water”) + phonetic 㸒 (yín).

Etymology

“to soak; excessive; to let loose; licentious”

Related to 婬 (OC *lɯm, “licentious”), 霪 (OC *lɯm, “heavy rain”) and 霖 (OC *ɡ·rɯm, “continued rain”) (Wang, 1982). More allofams possibly include 瀋 (OC *l̥ʰjɯmʔ, “liquid”) and 沉 (OC *l'um, “to submerge”) (Schuessler, 2007). Probably related to Proto-Sino-Tibetan *l-(t/d)jam (“to fill, flat”).

Pronunciation 1

Rime
Character	淫
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	以 (36)
Final (韻)	侵 (139)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	餘針切
Baxter	yim
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/jiɪm/
Pan Wuyun	/jim/
Shao Rongfen	/jem/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/jim/
Li Rong	/iəm/
Wang Li	/jĭĕm/
Bernhard Karlgren	/i̯əm/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	yín
Expected Cantonese Reflex	jam4

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	淫
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	yín
Middle Chinese	‹ yim ›
Old Chinese	/*N.r[ə]m/
English	excess; licentious
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	淫
Reading #	1/1
No.	15291
Phonetic component	淫
Rime group	侵
Rime subdivision	1
Corresponding MC rime	淫
Old Chinese	/*lɯm/

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): yín (yin²)

  (Zhuyin): ㄧㄣˊ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): jam⁴
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): yìm

  (Hailu, HRS): rhim

• Eastern Min (BUC): ìng
• Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): ing²
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): îm / tâm

  (Teochew, Peng'im): im⁵

• Wu (Northern, Wugniu): ⁶yin / ²yin

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: yín
    • Zhuyin: ㄧㄣˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: yín
    • Wade–Giles: yin²
    • Yale: yín
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: yn
    • Palladius: инь (inʹ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /in³⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: jam⁴
    • Yale: yàhm
    • Cantonese Pinyin: jam⁴
    • Guangdong Romanization: yem⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /jɐm²¹/
• Hakka
  • (Northern Sixian, incl. Miaoli)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: yìm
    • Hakka Romanization System: im^ˇ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: yim²
    • Sinological IPA: /im¹¹/
  • (Southern Sixian, incl. Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: yìm
    • Hakka Romanization System: (r)im^ˇ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: yim²
    • Sinological IPA: /(j)im¹¹/
  • (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
    • Hakka Romanization System: rhim
    • Sinological IPA: /ʒim⁵⁵/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: ìng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /iŋ⁵³/
• Puxian Min
  • (Putian, Xianyou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: ing²
    • Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: íng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /iŋ¹³/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: îm / tâm
    • Tâi-lô: îm / tâm
    • Phofsit Daibuun: iim, daam
    • IPA (Xiamen): /im²⁴/, /tam²⁴/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /im²⁴/, /tam²⁴/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /im¹³/, /tam¹³/
    • IPA (Taipei): /im²⁴/, /tam²⁴/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /im²³/, /tam²³/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: im⁵
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: îm
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /im⁵⁵/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ⁶yin
    • MiniDict: yin^去
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ³hhin
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /ɦin²³/
  • (Northern: Jiading, Songjiang, Suzhou, Jiaxing, Hangzhou, Shaoxing, Ningbo, Zhoushan)
    • Wugniu: ²yin
    • MiniDict: yin^平
    • Sinological IPA (Jiading): /ɦiŋ³¹/
    • Sinological IPA (Songjiang): /ɦiŋ³¹/
    • Sinological IPA (Suzhou): /ɦin²²³/
    • Sinological IPA (Jiaxing): /ɦin³¹/
    • Sinological IPA (Hangzhou): /ɦin²³/
    • Sinological IPA (Shaoxing): /ɦiŋ²³¹/
    • Sinological IPA (Ningbo): /ɦiŋ³¹³/
    • Sinological IPA (Zhoushan): /ɦiŋ²²/

---

• Middle Chinese: yim

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*N.r[ə]m/

  (Zhengzhang): /*lɯm/

Definitions

淫

1. to soak; to permeate; to drench
2. to paint; to dye; to decorate
3. to spread; to diffuse; to become prominent
4. to move around; to shift; to travel
5. to exceed boundary; to overstep one's authority
6. excessive; uncontrolled; immoderate; overindulgent
7. great; sizeable; immense; big
8. (alt. form 霪) to rain for a prolonged period of time; to have continuous heavy rain
9. meretricious; flashy; ostentatious
10. extravagant; squandering; wasteful
11. evil; wicked; sinful; crafty
12. in disorder; disorderly; chaotic; disorganised
13. to confuse or be confused; to make someone dazed and confused

    • 富貴不淫貧賤樂，男兒到此是豪雄。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
      富贵不淫贫贱乐，男儿到此是豪雄。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

      From: circa 1068~1085, Cheng Hao（程顥）,《秋日偶成》, tr. Cui Wenkai

      Fùguì bù yín pínjiàn lè, nán'ér dàocǐ shì háoxióng. [Pinyin]

      He who can be impervious to the temptation of wealth and high position, and be happy in impoverishment and humbleness, will surely be a warrior and a hero in this world.

14. to let someone have his or her own way; to allow to run wild
15. (alt. form 婬／淫) to indulge in; to overindulge; to abandon oneself in; to be greedy for
16. (alt. form 婬／淫) to have illicit sexual relations; to commit adultery
17. (alt. form 婬／淫) licentious; obscene; lewd; lascivious; depraved; pornographic

    • 又每見人言：番婦多淫，產後一兩日，即與夫合。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
      又每见人言：番妇多淫，产后一两日，即与夫合。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

      From: c. 1300, 周達觀 (Zhou Daguan), 《真臘風土記》 (The Customs of Cambodia)

      Yòu měi jiàn rén yán: fān fù duō yín, chǎn hòu yī liǎng rì, jí yǔ fū hé. [Pinyin]

      Then again, I have often heard people say that the native women are very lascivious, so that a day or two after giving birth they are immediately coupling with their husbands. (Adapted from translation by Peter Harris)

18. Alternative form of 深 (shēn, “deep; deeply”)

Compounds

• 不淫
• 侵淫
• 六淫
• 冶容誨淫 / 冶容诲淫
• 口淫 (kǒuyín)
• 奇技淫巧 (qíjìyínqiǎo)
• 奸淫 (jiānyín)
• 姦夫淫婦 / 奸夫淫妇
• 姦淫 / 奸淫 (jiānyín)
• 姦淫擄掠 / 奸淫掳掠
• 姦盜邪淫 / 奸盗邪淫
• 宣淫
• 富貴不淫 / 富贵不淫
• 意淫 (yìyín)
• 慆淫
• 手淫 (shǒuyín)
• 書淫 / 书淫 (shūyín)
• 朋淫
• 樂而不淫 / 乐而不淫 (lè'érbùyín)
• 汎淫 / 泛淫
• 沉湎淫逸
• 泛淫
• 流淫 (liúyín)
• 浸淫
• 淫亂 / 淫乱 (yínluàn)
• 淫佚
• 淫具 (yínjù)
• 淫凶 (yínxiōng)
• 淫刑
• 淫哇
• 淫奔
• 淫威 (yínwēi)
• 淫婦 / 淫妇 (yínfù)
• 淫媟
• 淫媾
• 淫學 / 淫学
• 淫巧
• 淫心慝行
• 淫惠
• 淫情浪態 / 淫情浪态
• 淫慾 / 淫欲 (yínyù)
• 淫業 / 淫业
• 淫樂 / 淫乐
• 淫氣 / 淫气
• 淫水 (yínshuǐ)
• 淫污 (yínwū)
• 淫汙穢臭 / 淫污秽臭
• 淫液
• 淫淫
• 淫潦
• 淫濫 / 淫滥
• 淫猥 (yínwěi)
• 淫祀 (yínsì)
• 淫祠
• 淫視 / 淫视
• 淫穢 / 淫秽 (yínhuì)
• 淫羊藿 (yínyánghuò)
• 淫蕩 / 淫荡 (yíndàng)
• 淫褻 / 淫亵 (yín xiè)
• 淫語 / 淫语 (yínyǔ)
• 淫賤 / 淫贱 (yínjiàn)
• 淫辭 / 淫辞
• 淫遊 / 淫游
• 淫邪
• 淫雨 (yínyǔ)
• 淫靡 (yínmǐ)
• 淫風 / 淫风 (yínfēng)
• 淫鬼
• 滯淫 / 滞淫
• 煩淫 / 烦淫
• 狂淫
• 福善禍淫 / 福善祸淫 (fúshànhuòyín)
• 自淫 (zìyín)
• 荒淫 (huāngyín)
• 荒淫無度 / 荒淫无度 (huāngyínwúdù)
• 荒淫無恥 / 荒淫无耻 (huāngyínwúchǐ)
• 荒淫無道 / 荒淫无道
• 行淫
• 詖淫 / 诐淫
• 誨淫 / 诲淫
• 誨淫性 / 诲淫性
• 誨淫誨盜 / 诲淫诲盗
• 誨盜誨淫 / 诲盗诲淫
• 諂淫 / 谄淫
• 買淫 / 买淫 (mǎiyín)
• 賣淫 / 卖淫 (màiyín)
• 辟淫
• 閉淫 / 闭淫
• 陋淫
• 風淫 / 风淫
• 飽暖生淫 / 饱暖生淫
• 驕奢淫佚 / 骄奢淫佚 (jiāoshēyínyì)
• 驕奢淫泆 / 骄奢淫泆
• 驕奢淫逸 / 骄奢淫逸 (jiāoshēyínyì)
• 驕淫 / 骄淫

Pronunciation 2

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): yàn (yan⁴)

  (Zhuyin): ㄧㄢˋ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): jim⁶

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: yàn
    • Zhuyin: ㄧㄢˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: yàn
    • Wade–Giles: yen⁴
    • Yale: yàn
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: yann
    • Palladius: янь (janʹ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /jɛn⁵¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: jim⁶
    • Yale: yihm
    • Cantonese Pinyin: jim⁶
    • Guangdong Romanization: yim⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /jiːm²²/

Definitions

淫

1. Only used in 淫預／淫预: Alternative form of 灩澦 / 滟滪 (“a dangerous pile of rocks in the middle of the Yangtze River in Sichuan”)

Pronunciation 3

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): yáo (yao²)

  (Zhuyin): ㄧㄠˊ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): jiu⁴

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: yáo
    • Zhuyin: ㄧㄠˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: yáo
    • Wade–Giles: yao²
    • Yale: yáu
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: yau
    • Palladius: яо (jao)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /jɑʊ̯³⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: jiu⁴
    • Yale: yìuh
    • Cantonese Pinyin: jiu⁴
    • Guangdong Romanization: yiu⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /jiːu̯²¹/

Definitions

淫

1. (mythology, historical) Alternative name for 瑤池／瑶池 (Yáochí, “a legendary body of water”).