溪

谿
xī
奚 + 氵
HSK 2.0Level 6
HSK 3.0Level 7

Definitions

xī (noun) creek; stream

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 奚 represents the sound. Simplified form of 谿.

Semantic: 氵 Phonetic: 奚

About

溪, the simplified form of 谿, is a phonosemantic compound: the water radical 氵 on the left indicates a water-related feature, while the phonetic 奚 (xī) is on the right. It denotes a mountain stream, creek, or rivulet, a shallow, flowing watercourse in natural landscapes, distinct from large rivers or stagnant pools. The meaning has remained stable throughout history, and the character is widely used in classical poetry to evoke serene rural scenery and the gentle, persistent flow of water carving through mountains and forests.

Example Sentences Hide

小溪水很清。

Xiǎo xī shuǐ hěn qīng.

The stream water is very clear.

溪流声音很好听。

Xīliú shēngyīn hěn hǎotīng.

The sound of the stream is very pleasant.

公园里有一条小溪。

Gōngyuán lǐ yǒu yī tiáo xiǎo xī.

There is a small stream in the park.

溪水清澈，可以看到底。

Xīshuǐ qīngchè, kěyǐ kàn dào dǐ.

The stream water is clear, and you can see the bottom.

下雨后，溪水涨了很多。

Xià yǔ hòu, xīshuǐ zhǎngle hěnduō.

After the rain, the stream water rose a lot.

夏天，我们喜欢在溪边玩耍。

Xiàtiān, wǒmen xǐhuan zài xī biān wánshuǎ.

In summer, we like to play by the stream.

这条溪流从山上流下来，穿过森林。

Zhè tiáo xīliú cóng shān shàng liú xiàlái, chuānguò sēnlín.

This stream flows down from the mountain and passes through the forest.

由于污染，溪水的质量变差了。

Yóuyú wūrǎn, xīshuǐ de zhìliàng biàn chà le.

Due to pollution, the quality of the stream water has deteriorated.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

鸂

Component: 奚

蹊 谿 雞 鼷 㶉 傒 徯 磎 謑 鞵 騱 鷄

Component: 氵

法 没 海 活 治 清 济 流 深 满 消 注 派 河

Example Words

小溪 南溪 大溪地 安溪 尤溪 屯溪 巫溪 慈溪 慈溪市 本溪 溪口 溪流 溪涧 溪谷 玉溪 绩溪 花溪 苍溪 蓬溪 兰溪 兰溪市 贵溪 遂溪 安溪县