堕
duò
to fall; to sink
(fig.) to degenerate
phonetic (陏) + earth (土) = fall and sink to the ground
陏 lends the sound duò; the earth radical grounds the meaning — something falling down to land, sinking into the dirt. The image of collapse into the ground makes 'degenerate' feel natural.
他一步踩空，堕入了深谷。
tā yī bù cǎi kōng，duò rù le shēn gǔ。
He missed a step and fell into the deep valley.
他慢慢堕落，从一个好人变成了坏人。
tā màn màn duò luò，cóng yī gè hǎo rén biàn chéng le huài rén。
He gradually degenerated, changing from a good person into a bad one.
Words with 堕
呱呱堕地
gū gū duò dì
see 呱呱墜地|呱呱坠地[gu1 gu1 zhui4 di4]
堕楼
duò lóu
to jump to one's death
堕胎
duò tāi
to induce an abortion
堕落
duò luò
to degrade
堕云雾中
duò yún wù zhōng
lit. to become lost in a fog (idiom)
如堕五里雾中
rú duò wǔ lǐ wù zhōng
as if lost in a thick fog (idiom)
如堕烟雾
rú duò yān wù
as if degenerating into smoke (idiom); ignorant and unable to see where things are heading
自甘堕落
zì gān duò luò
to abandon oneself (idiom)