浮

• Pinyin: fú
• Hanzi breakdown: 浮 = 氵(water) + 孚 (phonetic, trust) — staying on the water's surface

Meaning

To float; to drift on the surface. To stay on top of a liquid without sinking.

Used literally for floating objects and metaphorically for superficiality or instability. Common compounds: 浮现 (to emerge, appear), 浮躁 (impetuous, restless), 浮夸 (exaggerated, flashy), 漂浮 (to float), 浮动 (to fluctuate). The character suggests something light that stays on the surface rather than going deep.

Examples

1. 几片落叶轻轻地浮在水面上，随着微风慢慢漂动。 A few fallen leaves floated gently on the water surface, slowly drifting with the breeze.
2. 他做事太浮躁，总是沉不下心来好好钻研。 He's too impetuous in his work and can never settle down to study something thoroughly.
3. 往事一幕幕浮现在眼前，让他忍不住感慨万千。 Memories of the past emerged before his eyes one scene after another, filling him with emotion.

Usage Guide

Context: nature, personality, description

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 木头能浮在水上，铁会沉下去。(Wood can float on water, but iron will sink.)
• 他的笑容浮现在她脑海中。(His smile emerged in her mind.)

Don't Say

• 把浮和飘完全混用 (While 浮 and 飘 both relate to floating, 浮 emphasizes staying on a surface, while 飘 emphasizes drifting through air — a leaf 浮在水上 but 飘在空中)

Origin & History

Pictophonetic: 氵(water radical) indicates the meaning relates to water, while 孚 (fú) provides the sound. Originally depicted something staying on water's surface.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal