1.
to blur; to run; to spread
When ink, colors, or liquid spreads and blurs on a surface.
雨で手紙のインクが滲んでしまった。
The ink on the letter blurred because of the rain.
水彩が滲んでしまった。
The watercolor bled.
文字が滲んで読めない。
The letters are blurred and unreadable.
マジックが紙に滲んだ。
The marker bled through the paper.
涙で視界が滲んだ。
My vision blurred with tears.
2.
to ooze; to seep out
When liquid gradually comes out from something, such as sweat or blood.
額から汗が滲み出てきた。
Sweat started oozing out from my forehead.
血が滲み出てきた。
Blood started to seep out.
シャツに汗が滲んでいる。
Sweat is showing through the shirt.
傷口から血が滲んでいる。
Blood is oozing from the wound.
包帯に血が滲んでいる。
Blood is seeping through the bandage.
3.
to show through; to be tinged with
Figuratively, when emotions or qualities subtly show through someone's expression or words.
彼の声には悲しみが滲んでいた。
Sadness was showing through in his voice.
努力の跡が滲んでいる。
The signs of effort show through.
言葉に優しさが滲んでいる。
Kindness shows through in the words.
表情に疲れが滲んでいた。
Fatigue showed through on his face.
文章に愛情が滲んでいる。
Love shows through in the writing.
笑顔の奥に寂しさが滲んでいた。
Loneliness showed through behind the smile.
滲む is an intransitive verb (自動詞). The transitive form is 滲ませる (to let something blur/ooze).
ASPECT ({ている}):
滲んでいる indicates a resulting state where something has already blurred or oozed.
COMMON PATTERNS:
- インクが滲む - ink blurs/runs
- 汗が滲む - sweat oozes
- 涙が滲む - tears well up
- 感情が滲む - emotion shows through
USAGE NOTE:
Often used with 出る in the compound 滲み出る to emphasize the gradual emergence of liquid.