消沉

• 拼音: xiāo chén
• 汉字拆解: 消 = 氵+ 肖 (fading/diminishing); 沉 = 氵+ 冘 (sinking in water)

含义

Depressed; despondent; in a state of low spirits or diminished vitality.

Describes a sustained mood of dejection and loss of drive. Stronger than 难过 and implies a prolonged emotional slump. Common in literary and psychological contexts. Often collocates with 情绪 (mood/emotions).

例句

1. 连续几次失败的经历让他情绪消沉，一度对未来失去了信心。
2. 失业之后，他整日消沉，不愿与任何人交流。
3. 老人在老伴离世后愈发消沉，家人非常担心他的精神状态。

用法指南

语境: psychology, emotion, literature

语气: empathetic

正确说法

• 经历重大挫折后，许多人会陷入一段消沉期，需要给予足够的时间与空间。(After a major setback, many people fall into a period of despondency and need sufficient time and space to recover.)
• 她的情绪一直很消沉，朋友们都劝她寻求专业的心理辅导。(Her spirits have been very low — friends have been encouraging her to seek professional psychological counselling.)

错误说法

• 这部电影很消沉 — use 压抑 or 沉重 to describe the tone of a film; 消沉 describes a person's emotional state, not external content

起源与历史

消 (diminish/disappear) + 沉 (sink/heavy) — spirits sinking and fading away

文化背景

时代: Modern

世代: All ages

社会背景: Universal