湘

xiāng

氵 + 相

Definitions

Xiāng (noun) abbr. for Hunan province; abbr. for Xiangjiang river

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 相 represents the sound.

Semantic: 氵 Phonetic: 相

About

湘 is a phonosemantic compound: 氵 represents the meaning 'water', and 相 represents the sound. It primarily names the Xiang River, a historically and culturally significant waterway in southern China. Because the river dominates Hunan province, 湘 also serves as the province's official single-character abbreviation, appearing in regional designations, cuisine descriptions, and license plates.

Etymology Hide

Bronze Mid Warring States (~300 BC)

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Seal Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

湘江非常长。

Xiāng Jiāng fēicháng cháng.

The Xiang River is very long.

湘菜非常辣。

Xiāngcài fēicháng là.

Hunan cuisine is very spicy.

我喜欢湘菜的味道。

Wǒ xǐhuān xiāngcài de wèidào.

I like the taste of Hunan cuisine.

我们去湘西旅游。

Wǒmen qù Xiāngxī lǚyóu.

We are traveling to western Hunan.

湘绣是中国传统艺术。

Xiāngxiù shì Zhōngguó chuántǒng yìshù.

Hunan embroidery is a traditional Chinese art.

湘江流经湖南省多个城市。

Xiāng Jiāng liújīng Húnán Shěng duō gè chéngshì.

The Xiang River flows through many cities in Hunan Province.

因为湘剧独特，所以很多人喜欢看。

Yīnwèi xiāngjù dútè, suǒyǐ hěnduō rén xǐhuān kàn.

Because Hunan opera is unique, many people like to watch it.

在湘方言区，人们通常用湘语交流。

Zài xiāng fāngyán qū, rénmen tōngcháng yòng xiāngyǔ jiāoliú.

In the Hunan dialect area, people usually communicate in the Xiang language.

Related Characters

Component: 氵

Component: 相

湘