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灌溉 (guàn gài) — to irrigate

Definition

Specifically the agricultural sense of channeling water to fields — used for irrigation systems and farmland, as in 滴灌 (drip irrigation). Compare 浇 (water plants by hand), and 灌输, which extends the metaphor to instilling ideas.

verb
to irrigate

Examples

  • 灌溉。
    Zhè piàn nóng tián xū yào dìng qī guàn gài.
    This farmland needs regular irrigation.
  • 灌溉。
    guàn gài Xì tǒng duì nóng yè fā zhǎn fēi cháng zhòng yào.
    Irrigation systems are very important for agricultural development.
  • 灌溉。
    Tā men cǎi yòng dī guàn gài jì shù lái jié yuē yòng shuǐ.
    They use drip irrigation technology to save water.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

灌guànpour water
溉gàiirrigate

灌 (pour water) and 溉 (irrigate) together describe supplying water to fields.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
雚
雚guàn灌guàn
Same sound today

灌 pairs its water part with 雚, which gives the character its sound.

Open 灌 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Agriculture & Farming

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