Definitions

tuān to rush (of water)

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character "湍" is structured as a phono-semantic compound with the water radical 氵 on the left and the component 耑 on the right, where 耑 serves primarily as a phonetic element while the radical specifies its association with water. Etymologically, this construction links the character to concepts of liquid flow, with 耑 providing the sound cue rather than semantic content. In early literary usage, "湍" specifically referred to swift, rushing, or turbulent water, such as in river currents, and this core meaning has been consistently applied in subsequent periods. The character's form has not undergone significant structural changes, maintaining its compositional logic of radical and phonetic parts to represent hydrological speed.

Etymology Hide

Bronze etymology image
Bronze Mid Warring States (~300 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

这条河水很急。

Zhè tiáo hé shuǐ hěn tuānjí.

This river's water is very rapid.

流的声音很大。

Tuānliú de shēngyīn hěn dà.

The sound of the rapid flow is very loud.

小心急的河流。

Xiǎoxīn tuānjí de héliú.

Be careful of the rapid river.

山间的溪流急而清澈。

Shān jiān de xīliú tuānjí ér qīngchè.

The mountain stream is rapid and clear.

暴雨后河水变得急。

Bàoyǔ hòu héshuǐ biàn de tuānjí.

After the heavy rain, the river water became rapid.

流中航行非常危险。

Tuānliú zhōng hángxíng fēi cháng wēixiǎn.

Sailing in rapids is very dangerous.

由于地形陡峭,这里的水流常年急。

Yóuyú dìxíng dǒuqiào, zhèlǐ de shuǐliú chángnián tuānjí.

Due to the steep terrain, the water flow here is rapid all year round.

工程师们设计了特殊的水坝来减缓流的速度。

Gōngchéngshī men shèjì le tèshū de shuǐbà lái jiǎnhuǎn tuānliú de sùdù.

The engineers designed a special dam to slow down the speed of the rapids.