湖

hú

氵 + 胡

HSK 3.0Level 5

Definitions

hú (noun) lake

Etymology

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

Semantic: 氵 Phonetic: 胡

About

The character 湖 is a straightforward phono-semantic compound. Its left component, the water radical 氵, indicates that the word relates to bodies of water, while the right component 胡 marks its pronunciation. The structure thus clearly represents its meaning: a lake, which is a large inland expanse of standing water. This meaning has been stable and exclusive throughout the character's history, and 湖 frequently occurs in geographical names and descriptions of landscapes with enclosed bodies of water. It has not taken on any significant divergent or abstract secondary senses.

Etymology Hide

Bronze Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Western Jin dynasty (266-316 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

这个湖很大。

Zhège hú hěn dà.

This lake is very big.

湖里有很多鱼。

Hú lǐ yǒu hěnduō yú.

There are many fish in the lake.

我们在湖边散步。

Wǒmen zài hú biān sànbù.

We are walking by the lake.

湖水非常清澈。

Húshuǐ fēicháng qīngchè.

The lake water is very clear.

这个湖泊很著名。

Zhège húpō hěn zhùmíng.

This lake is very famous.

湖南的风景很美。

Húnán de fēngjǐng hěn měi.

The scenery in Hunan is very beautiful.

湖面上倒映着山影。

Húmiàn shàng dàoyìng zhe shān yǐng.

The mountain shadow is reflected on the lake surface.

由于污染，湖水变得浑浊。

Yóuyú wūrǎn, húshuǐ biàn de húnzhuó.

Due to pollution, the lake water has become turbid.

Related Characters

Component: 氵

Component: 胡

湖