充满

• Pinyin: chōng mǎn
• Hanzi breakdown: 充 = 亠 (lid) + 儿 (legs) + a vertical stroke, meaning to fill or be sufficient; 满 = 氵(water) + 满 phonetic, meaning full

Meaning

To be full of; to be filled with. Describes being completely filled with a quality, emotion, or substance.

Often used with abstract nouns: 充满希望 (full of hope), 充满信心 (full of confidence), 充满活力 (full of vitality), 充满阳光 (full of sunshine). Can also describe physical spaces being filled with something like 充满烟雾 (filled with smoke).

Examples

1. 她的眼睛里充满了幸福的泪水。 Her eyes were filled with tears of happiness.
2. 这个年轻人对未来充满了信心。 This young person is full of confidence about the future.
3. 春天的花园里充满了花的香味。 The spring garden is filled with the fragrance of flowers.

Usage Guide

Context: emotion, description, literary

Tone: expressive

Do Say

• 教室里充满了笑声。(The classroom was filled with laughter.)
• 他的作品充满了想象力。(His works are full of imagination.)

Don't Say

• 杯子充满了水 (Don't use 充满 for literally filling a cup — say 杯子装满了水; 充满 is usually for abstract or atmospheric descriptions)

Origin & History

Compound of 充 (to fill, to be sufficient) and 满 (full, to fill up), emphasising the state of being completely filled.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal