noun HSK 4
river · watercourse · stream
Meaning
河流 refers to a natural flowing body of water, typically larger than a creek but used as a general term for rivers of various sizes. It emphasizes the flowing nature of the water body and is more formal than the simple character 河.
Usage
河流 is commonly used in formal contexts, academic writing, geography, and environmental discussions. In everyday conversation, people often just say 河 for 'river.' It frequently appears in discussions about water resources, ecology, and geographical features.
Examples
- 01长江是中国最长的河流。.The Yangtze River is China's longest river.
- 02我们应该保护河流不受污染。.We should protect rivers from pollution.
Characters
Measure words
- 条一条河流
Common collocations
- 河流污染river pollution
- 河流域river basin
- 保护河流to protect rivers
- 河流治理river management
Origin
The compound combines 河 (river) with 流 (to flow), literally meaning 'flowing river,' emphasizing the dynamic nature of rivers as moving bodies of water.