河流

• Pinyin: hé liú
• Hanzi breakdown: 河 = 氵(water radical) + 可 (phonetic); 流 = 氵(water) + 㐬 (flowing current)

Meaning

River; rivers collectively. A natural flowing body of water, typically of significant size, moving toward the sea, a lake, or another river.

A general term encompassing rivers of all sizes. Used in both literal geographic contexts and figurative expressions — 历史的河流 (the river of history) or 时间的河流 (the river of time). Frequently appears in environmental, geographic, literary, and poetic contexts. Distinct from 江, which refers to large rivers in the south, and 河, which often refers to rivers in northern China.

Examples

1. 这片高原上的河流大多发源于冰川融水，水量随季节更替而显著变化。 Most of the rivers on this plateau originate from glacial meltwater, and their volume changes significantly with the seasons.
2. 工业废水的排放严重污染了周边河流，导致大量鱼类死亡和水生态系统失衡。 Industrial wastewater discharge has severely polluted nearby rivers, causing large numbers of fish to die and throwing aquatic ecosystems out of balance.
3. 历史上无数文明都诞生于大河流域，河流为人类提供了赖以生存的水源与土地。 Throughout history, countless civilizations have arisen in major river basins; rivers have provided the water and fertile land people depend on to survive.

Usage Guide

Context: geography, environment, nature, literature

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 当地政府投入大量资金治理境内河流的水质污染问题，成效显著。(The local government invested heavily in addressing water pollution in the region's rivers, achieving notable results.)
• 这幅地图标注了西南地区主要河流的走向及其流经的省份。(This map marks the course of the major rivers in southwestern China and the provinces through which they flow.)

Don't Say

• 河流 for the sea or a lake — use 大海 or 湖泊 respectively; 河流 denotes flowing freshwater bodies, not standing water or saltwater

Origin & History

河 (river; watercourse) + 流 (to flow; flowing water; current)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal