Meanings of 涸
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About 涸
Podcast: 涸
Podcast: 涸
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AI Study Notes for 涸
枯 (kū) - use 涸 (hé) when referring specifically to drying up in a context of water sources, while 枯 (kū) more broadly refers to withering or drying out in plants.
涸 is typically used in more formal or literary contexts, especially when discussing environmental issues or poetic expressions. Common collocations include 涸辙 (hézhé, 'a dried-up rut') and 涸泽 (hézé, 'a dried-up swamp'). Be careful with the pronunciation; the tone is second (hé).
While 涸 is not included in the HSK levels, it connects with HSK vocabulary related to nature and environment, such as 水 (water) and 干 (dry). Focus on recognizing the water radical and understanding its meaning in different contexts.
Learners sometimes confuse 涸 with 干 (gān), both meaning 'dry,' but 涸 specifically implies drying up from an abundant state. For example, saying '我的衣服涸了' (wǒ de yīfú héle, 'My clothes dried up') is incorrect; it should be '我的衣服干了' (wǒ de yīfú gānle).
Pronunciation of 涸
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Etymology of 涸
To run out 氵 of strength 固; 固 also provides the pronunciation
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 涸
- 1The giveawayTo run out 氵 of strength 固; 固 also provides the pronunciation
- 2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 涸? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
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Decomposition of 涸
Identify the Components
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How to say tired, exhausted; dried up in Chinese
“tired, exhausted; dried up” in Chinese is涸
The character 涸 (hé) primarily means 'to dry up' or 'to become exhausted,' often used in contexts related to water sources drying out or resources being depleted. It conveys a sense of something that was once abundant but has diminished significantly, such as rivers or lakes that have dried up.
When to use 涸
涸 is typically used in more formal or literary contexts, especially when discussing environmental issues or poetic expressions. Common collocations include 涸辙 (hézhé, 'a dried-up rut') and 涸泽 (hézé, 'a dried-up swamp'). Be careful with the pronunciation; the tone is second (hé).
涸 or something close to it
枯 (kū) - use 涸 (hé) when referring specifically to drying up in a context of water sources, while 枯 (kū) more broadly refers to withering or drying out in plants.
What learners get wrong
Learners sometimes confuse 涸 with 干 (gān), both meaning 'dry,' but 涸 specifically implies drying up from an abundant state. For example, saying '我的衣服涸了' (wǒ de yīfú héle, 'My clothes dried up') is incorrect; it should be '我的衣服干了' (wǒ de yīfú gānle).
Write 涸
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Practice writing 涸 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Grammar Patterns of 涸
涸 carries 3 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
Complete the Sentence
曾为水井供水的蓄水层正式宣告干____了。
The aquifer which had once fed the wells was pronounced dry.
Example Sentences for 涸 (2)
Word Family of 涸
Compound Meaning
What does 干涸 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 涸
You can say '这条河已经涸了' (zhè tiáo hé yǐjīng héle), meaning 'This river has already dried up.'
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