沟渠 (gōu qú) — irrigation canals, ditches (for water managemen… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

irrigation canalsditches (for water management)

Measure word · 条

Examples

沟渠。
Nóng mín men zhèng zài xiū jiàn xīn de gōu qú lái guàn gài nóng tián.
Farmers are building new irrigation canals to water the fields.
沟渠。
Chéng shì de xià shuǐ dào hé gōu qú xū yào dìng qī qīng lǐ.
The city's sewers and drainage ditches need regular cleaning.
沟渠，。
Zhè tiáo gōu qú lǐ de shuǐ hěn qīng chè, kě yǐ zhí jiē yòng lái jiāo huā.
The water in this canal is very clear and can be used directly to water flowers.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

沟 and 渠 both refer to water channels, together naming canals and ditches.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 溝; 沟 is its simplified writing.

氵冓溝

Meaning part形符xíngfú

氵Written in full as水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

冓

冓gòu溝gōu

Same sound today

The traditional form 溝 pairs 氵 (water) with 冓 for the sound; the simplified 沟 is a later shorthand, so its right side is not the historical part.

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

榘

榘jǔ渠qú

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

渠 pairs 水 (water) with 榘 (jǔ), which gives the sound.

Appears in

Geography & Landforms

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