About
河 is a phono-semantic compound composed of the water radical 氵 (a reduced form of 水, 'water') and the phonetic 可 (kě). The radical anchors the character in the domain of geographical and hydrological features, while 可 indicates its pronunciation. Originally, this character did not refer to rivers in general; it was the proper name for the Yellow River, functioning exclusively as a specific toponym. Over time, its meaning broadened from that singular designation to a common noun for any naturally flowing river or large stream, losing its proper-noun status and becoming the standard term for significant bodies of flowing water.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
河里有很多鱼。
黄河是中国著名的河流。
我们明天去河边野餐。
这条河流经好几个省份。
河水清澈见底，美丽极了。
为了保护河流环境，我们必须减少污染。
尽管河流湍急，他们还是成功地渡过了。
河流的变迁往往反映了当地气候和地质的历史变化。
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