运河

• Pinyin: yùn hé
• Hanzi breakdown: 运 = 辶 + 云 (to transport); 河 = 氵+ 可 (river)

Meaning

Canal. An artificial waterway constructed for navigation, irrigation, or water management.

China's Grand Canal (京杭大运河) is one of the world's oldest and longest canals. The term also applies to modern canals such as the Suez or Panama Canals in translation contexts.

Examples

1. 京杭大运河全长约一千七百九十四公里，是世界上最长的人工运河。 The Beijing–Hangzhou Grand Canal is about 1,794 kilometers long, making it the longest man-made canal in the world.
2. 运河两岸保留了许多历史建筑，吸引了大量游客前来参观。 Many historic buildings have been preserved along both banks of the canal, drawing large numbers of visitors.
3. 这条运河在古代承担着南北物资运输的重要职能。 In ancient times, this canal played a crucial role in transporting goods between the south and the north.

Usage Guide

Context: geography, history, infrastructure

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 苏州的古运河至今仍是当地重要的水上交通通道。(Suzhou's ancient canal is still an important waterway for local transportation today.)
• 巴拿马运河的开通大大缩短了太平洋与大西洋之间的航运距离。(The opening of the Panama Canal greatly reduced the shipping distance between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.)

Don't Say

• 自然运河 — canals are by definition artificial; use 天然河道 or 自然河流 for natural waterways

Origin & History

运 (transport/convey) + 河 (river)

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient to modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal