渠道 (qú dào) — (literal) irrigation ditch, canal; (figurative) channel, medium, means (of communication, distribution, etc.)

Definition

渠道 covers both the literal 'irrigation canal' and the figurative 'channel/means' (sales, communication). For the figurative sense, it's broader than 管道 (a physical pipeline) and more concrete than 途径 (a general 'way/means').

noun
(literal) irrigation ditchcanal(figurative) channelmediummeans (of communication, distribution, etc.)

Examples

  • 渠道。
    Zhè tiáo qú dào yòng lái guàn gài nóng tián.
    This canal is used to irrigate the farmland.
  • 渠道。
    Wǒ men zhǎo dào le xīn de xiāo shòu qú dào.
    We found a new sales channel.
  • 渠道。
    Zhè zhǒng gōu tōng qú dào fēi cháng zhòng yào.
    This kind of communication channel is very important.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

渠qúcanal
道dàopath

渠 is a waterway and 道 is a path or conduit, so together they mean a channel, literally or figuratively.

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
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.

Open 渠 →

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
行行xíngstreet
止止zhǐfoot
Sound part声符shēngfú
𩠐
首shǒu道dào
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

Early 道 showed a street 行, a foot 止, and a part written 首 or 𩠐; the right part of 行 later disappeared.

Open 道 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6HSK 2.0 Level 6Abstract ConceptsGeography & Landforms

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