横流 (héng liú) — overflow (of water); water flowing out of its proper course; figurative overflow or rampant spread (of evil, corruption, negative forces)

Definition

Literary word for overflow — water spilling out of its proper course, and by extension the rampant spread of evil or negative forces. Almost always paired with 物欲 or 邪气 in writing; rarely used in speech.

noun
overflow (of water)water flowing out of its proper coursefigurative overflow or rampant spread (of evil, corruption, negative forces)

Examples

  • ，横流，。
    Bào yǔ guò hòu, hé shuǐ héng liú, yān mò le fù jìn de nóng tián.
    After the heavy rain, the river overflowed, flooding the nearby farmland.
  • 横流，。
    Shè huì shàng wù yù héng liú, xǔ duō rén mí shī le fāng xiàng.
    Material desires run rampant in society, and many people have lost their way.
  • 横流，。
    Miàn duì xié qì héng liú, wǒ men bì xū jiān shǒu zhèng yì.
    Faced with the rampant spread of evil, we must uphold justice.

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.

横héngsideways
流liúflow

横 (sideways) plus 流 (flow) describes water overflowing its course.

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 橫; 横 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mùwood
Sound part声符shēngfú
黃
黃huáng橫héng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 橫 has 木, meaning wood, beside 黃, which supplies the sound; the simplified 横 is a later abbreviation.

Open 横 →

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
㐬
㐬㐬流liú
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

流 has 水, water, and 㐬, which gives the sound. The water part matches meanings such as flow.

Open 流 →

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