川

chuān

Definitions

chuān (noun) river; creek

chuān (noun) plain; level ground

Etymology

Pictograph of a river.

About

川 is a pictograph of a river, with three vertical or slightly curved strokes symbolizing the two solid banks and the continuous current flowing between them. As a geographic noun, it means river, stream, or waterway. The steady flow of water over flat ground led to the extended meaning of a plain, a wide, level area often intersected by rivers. Frequently used as a radical, 川 appears in characters associated with water, geography, or flowing movement.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我喜欢川菜。

Wǒ xǐhuān chuāncài.

I like Sichuan cuisine.

川菜非常辣。

Chuāncài fēicháng là.

Sichuan cuisine is very spicy.

四川是个好地方。

Sìchuān shì gè hǎo dìfāng.

Sichuan is a good place.

我们去四川旅游吧。

Wǒmen qù Sìchuān lǚyóu ba.

Let's travel to Sichuan.

这条河川水流很急。

Zhè tiáo héchuān shuǐliú hěn jí.

The flow of this river is very rapid.

川资已经准备好了。

Chuānzī yǐjīng zhǔnbèi hǎo le.

The travel expenses are already prepared.

他来自四川成都。

Tā láizì Sìchuān Chéngdū.

He comes from Chengdu, Sichuan.

四川的地形多山多川。

Sìchuān de dìxíng duō shān duō chuān.

Sichuan's terrain has many mountains and rivers.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 川

Example Words