沉着

• Pinyin: chén zhuó
• Hanzi breakdown: 沉 = 氵 (water) + 冘 (phonetic); 着 = 羊 (sheep) + 目 (eye) + variation

Meaning

Calm; composed; cool-headed. Maintaining composure especially in difficult situations.

Very similar to 沉稳 but emphasizes calmness under specific pressure or crisis. Often paired with 冷静. Also has a medical meaning (pigmentation settling in skin).

Examples

1. 飞行员在紧急情况下保持沉着应对。 The pilot remained calm and composed when dealing with the emergency.
2. 她沉着冷静地处理了这次危机。 She handled this crisis calmly and coolly.
3. 医生说这是色素沉着，不需要治疗。 The doctor said this is pigmentation; it doesn't need treatment.

Usage Guide

Context: crisis, professional, medical

Tone: positive

Do Say

• 考试的时候要沉着应对，不要紧张。(Stay calm during the exam; don't be nervous.)
• 他在危机面前表现得非常沉着。(He remained very composed in the face of crisis.)

Don't Say

• 我今天很沉着 (沉着 typically describes response to a specific situation, not a general daily state)

Origin & History

Compound of 沉 (to sink, calm) and 着 (to settle, attach). Originally meaning 'settled down' like sediment.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal