染

• Pinyin: rǎn
• Hanzi breakdown: 染 = 氵(water) + 木 (wood) + 九, to dye/stain

Meaning

To dye; to stain; to contaminate. Adding color or being affected by something.

Physical: 染发 (dye hair), 染色 (dyeing). Figurative: 传染 (infect), 污染 (pollute), 染上坏习惯 (pick up bad habits). Can imply gradual influence.

Examples

1. 她把头发染成了红色。 She dyed her hair red.
2. 这件白衬衫被染上了咖啡渍。 This white shirt got stained with coffee.
3. 年轻人容易染上不良习惯。 Young people can easily pick up bad habits.

Usage Guide

Context: beauty, contamination, influence

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 你染头发了？(Did you dye your hair?)
• 别让孩子染上坏习惯。(Don't let children pick up bad habits.)

Don't Say

• 染一下颜色。(Redundant — 染 already implies adding color)

Origin & History

氵(water) + 木 (wood) + 九. Originally referred to dyeing cloth with plant pigments.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal