Definitions

(noun) canal; ditch; stream
(particle) how can it be that?

Etymology

A ditch  made of wood  also provides the pronunciation

About

The character "渠" originates as a phono-semantic compound representing artificial water channels, integrating the water radical to denote its association with aquatic systems and incorporating the component "巨" for its approximate phonetic value. Its primary signification as a ditch or canal has maintained consistency across historical periods, reflecting a sustained reference to constructed waterways for irrigation and drainage. While this central meaning remains unchanged, the character has also been adopted in various southern dialects to function as a third-person pronoun, marking a distinct semantic extension derived from linguistic adaptation rather than hydraulic context. This dual trajectory showcases how the character's structural composition, anchored by its water radical, has supported a stable core meaning while allowing for functional diversification in spoken language.

Etymology Hide

Bronze etymology image
Bronze Warring States (475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
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)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

农田旁边有一条水

Nóngtián pángbiān yǒu yī tiáo shuǐ qú.

There is a water canal next to the farmland.

工人正在修建那条

Gōngrén zhèngzài xiūjiàn nà tiáo qú.

Workers are building that canal.

这条的水非常干净。

Zhè tiáo qú de shuǐ fēicháng gānjìng.

The water in this canal is very clean.

帮助农民灌溉作物。

Shuǐ qú bāngzhù nóngmín guàngài zuòwù.

The water canal helps farmers irrigate crops.

我们从中取水用于洗衣。

Wǒmen cóng qú zhōng qǔshuǐ yòng yú xǐyī.

We draw water from the canal for washing clothes.

维护道是确保水流畅通的关键。

Wéihù qúdào shì quèbǎo shuǐliú chàngtōng de guānjiàn.

Maintaining the canal is key to ensuring smooth water flow.

古代文明常依靠复杂的水系统。

Gǔdài wénmíng cháng yīkào fùzá de shuǐ qú xìtǒng.

Ancient civilizations often relied on complex canal systems.

由于暴雨,水泛滥,淹没了附近的道路。

Yóuyú bàoyǔ, qú shuǐ fànlàn, yānmò le fùjìn de dàolù.

Due to the heavy rain, the canal water overflowed and flooded the nearby roads.