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下游 (xià yóu) — lower reaches of a river; downstream; (figurative) lower level; lower echelon; downstream (in a chain or process)

Definition

Literally 'downstream' — also used figuratively for the lower end of a chain or process. Pairs with 上游 (upstream/leading end); 下级 is for people, not positions in a chain.

noun
lower reaches of a riverdownstream(figurative) lower levellower echelondownstream (in a chain or process)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 下游。
    Zhè tiáo hé de xià yóu shuǐ liú bǐ jiào píng huǎn.
    The lower reaches of this river have a relatively gentle current.
  • 下游，。
    Wǒ men gōng sī chǔ yú chǎn yè liàn de xià yóu, lì rùn bù gāo.
    Our company is at the downstream end of the industry chain, so profits are low.
  • 下游。
    Zhè ge jué dìng xū yào xià yóu bù mén pèi hé zhí xíng.
    This decision requires cooperation from lower-level departments to implement.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

下xiàlower
游yóuflow

下 for lower and 游 for flow combine to name the lower part of a river or process.

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

下 is drawn as a short horizontal line below a long curved line.

Open 下 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
斿
斿yóu游yóu
Same sound today

游 combines 水 (water) with 斿, which gives the sound yóu and also relates to travelling.

Open 游 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Geography & Landforms

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