地下水

• Pinyin: dì xià shuǐ
• Hanzi breakdown: 地 = 土 + 也 (earth); 下 = directional (below); 水 = 氵 (water)

Meaning

Groundwater; water that exists beneath the earth's surface in soil pores and rock fractures.

A critical natural resource for agriculture, drinking water supply, and ecological systems. Over-extraction of 地下水 is a significant environmental concern in many parts of China, leading to land subsidence and water scarcity.

Examples

1. 华北平原长期过度开采地下水，导致地面沉降问题日趋严峻。 Long-term over-extraction of groundwater on the North China Plain has made land subsidence an increasingly severe problem.
2. 这口古井已有数百年历史，至今仍能汲取清澈的地下水。 This ancient well has a history of hundreds of years, and it can still draw clear groundwater to this day.
3. 科学家通过监测地下水位变化，评估该地区的生态承载能力。 By monitoring changes in groundwater levels, scientists assess the region’s ecological carrying capacity.

Usage Guide

Context: environment, agriculture, hydrology, urban planning

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 过度抽取地下水不仅耗尽宝贵的水资源，还会引发地基下沉，威胁城市基础设施的安全。(Excessive extraction of groundwater not only depletes precious water resources but also causes ground subsidence, threatening the safety of urban infrastructure.)
• 该地区的地下水受到工业污染，当地居民不得不依赖远距离调水解决饮水问题。(The groundwater in this area has been contaminated by industrial pollution, forcing residents to rely on long-distance water diversion to solve their drinking water problems.)

Don't Say

• 地下的水 — fine informally, but in technical or formal contexts always use 地下水 as a compound term

Origin & History

地下 (underground) + 水 (water)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal