Definitions

gài (verb) to irrigate

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character "溉" is structured as a phono-semantic compound, combining the water radical "氵" to indicate its semantic field with the component "既" which primarily provides phonetic guidance. Etymologically, it initially conveyed a general sense of washing or cleansing in early classical usage, but over time its application narrowed to specifically denote the irrigation of fields, aligning with agricultural needs. This shift in meaning from a broader act of purification to a focused agricultural function occurred without altering the character's fundamental composition, maintaining its visual association with water through the persistent left-right arrangement of its elements.

Etymology Hide

Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Spring and Autumn (~500 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)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

农民灌农田。

Nóngmín guàngài nóngtián.

Farmers irrigate the farmland.

系统很重要。

Guàngài xìtǒng hěn zhòngyào.

The irrigation system is very important.

他们每天灌作物。

Tāmen měitiān guàngài zuòwù.

They irrigate the crops every day.

这片土地需要经常灌

Zhè piàn tǔdì xūyào jīngcháng guàngài.

This piece of land needs frequent irrigation.

现代灌技术提高了产量。

Xiàndài guàngài jìshù tígāole chǎnliàng.

Modern irrigation technology has increased yield.

用水来自附近的河流。

Guàngài yòngshuǐ láizì fùjìn de héliú.

The water for irrigation comes from nearby rivers.

为了节约用水,他们改进了灌方法。

Wèile jiéyuē yòngshuǐ, tāmen gǎijìnle guàngài fāngfǎ.

To save water, they improved the irrigation methods.

在干旱地区,灌是农业生存的关键。

Zài gānhàn dìqū, guàngài shì nóngyè shēngcún de guānjiàn.

In arid regions, irrigation is key to agricultural survival.