河 (hé) — river
Definition
A general word for 'river' — the everyday default, smaller than 江 (which usually names major rivers). Pairs with 条/道; not for lakes (湖) or currents (水流).
noun
river
Measure word · 条, 道
Easily confused
Examples
- 。hé Lǐ yǒu yú.There are fish in the river.
- 河。Zhè tiáo hé hěn cháng.This river is very long.
- 河。Zhè tiáo hé de shuǐ hěn lěng.The water in this river is very cold.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
河 pairs 水 (water) with 何, which gives the sound. The 水 part marks it as a word for a river.
Appears in
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