HSK 3, ns, 8 strokes, radical 氵, rank #2186, Medium
河
hé
river, stream; the Yellow river
HSK 3, ns, 8 strokes, radical 氵, rank #2186, Medium
hé(he2)he T2
1river
2river, stream; the Yellow river
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March 24, 2026
河hé(he2)
The character 河 (hé) means 'river' and is commonly used to refer to flowing water bodies, particularly larger ones like the Yellow River. In conversation, it can express both geographical features and metaphorical uses related to pathways or currents of life.
Strokes8Radical氵Frequency#2186DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note
The Yellow River, known as 河流 (héliú) in Chinese, is considered the cradle of Chinese civilization, highlighting the importance of rivers in agriculture and culture throughout Chinese history.
Memory Tip
Imagine a flowing river that curves gently, resembling the character 河 itself. The left side '氵' (water radical) indicates it's related to water, while the right side '可' suggests something that can flow, helping you remember that 河 is all about the movement of water.
Meanings of 河
hé(he2)
1river
2river, stream; the Yellow river
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 河 means.
About 河
河Simplified
8Strokes
氵Radical
地名míngcíplace name (p.n.)Part of Speech
#2186Frequency Rank
条Measure Word
HSK 3.0L3ElementaryTOCFLL2YCTL3HSKKL1CEFRA1
Podcast: 河
Podcast: 河
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AI Study Notes for 河
Quick Contrast
河 (hé) vs 水 (shuǐ) — choose 河 when referring specifically to a river, while 水 refers to water in general.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 河 with similar words like 湖 (hú, lake) and 溪 (xī, stream). It's important to use 河 for larger water bodies and to pair it correctly with measure words like 条 (tiáo) for rivers. The tone must also be accurate; mispronouncing it as 'hǎ' can change its meaning.
HSK Study Tips
河 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, but it connects to themes of nature and geography common in HSK Level 2. Focus on recognizing it in reading passages related to landscapes and practicing its tone and measure word usage.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mistakenly use 河 to describe lakes, saying '我去河' (Wǒ qù hé) instead of '我去湖' (Wǒ qù hú). Remember to reserve 河 for rivers only.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 河
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How Well Do You Know 河?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 河 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
河 = 氵 + 可. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 河
IDS Structure⿰氵可
河Full Character
=
氵shui3
left
可ke3
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 河?
How to say river in Chinese
“river” in Chinese is河hé
The character 河 (hé) means 'river' and is commonly used to refer to flowing water bodies, particularly larger ones like the Yellow River. In conversation, it can express both geographical features and metaphorical uses related to pathways or currents of life.
When to use 河
Learners often confuse 河 with similar words like 湖 (hú, lake) and 溪 (xī, stream). It's important to use 河 for larger water bodies and to pair it correctly with measure words like 条 (tiáo) for rivers. The tone must also be accurate; mispronouncing it as 'hǎ' can change its meaning.
河 or something close to it
河 (hé) vs 水 (shuǐ) — choose 河 when referring specifically to a river, while 水 refers to water in general.
What learners get wrong
Learners often mistakenly use 河 to describe lakes, saying '我去河' (Wǒ qù hé) instead of '我去湖' (Wǒ qù hú). Remember to reserve 河 for rivers only.
Write 河
河
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Grammar Patterns of 河
河 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
The hills rise green and sheer above the broad river.
8
摩泽尔河在宁静的乡间蜿蜒穿行约160英里。
mó zé ěr hé zài níng jìng de xiāng jiān wān yán chuān háng yuē160 160 yīng。
The Moselle winds through some 160 miles of tranquil countryside.
9
尼罗河在此处变宽，从两块花岗岩巨石间穿过。
ní luó hé zài cǐ chǔ biàn kuān， ， cóng liǎng kuài huā gǎng yán jù shí jiān chuān。
Here the Nile broadens out between the huge granite boulders.
10
他在那里有一栋房子，但在河上游几英里处。
tā zài nà lǐ yǒu yī dòng fáng zǐ， ， dàn zài hé shàng yóu jī yīng lǐ。
He has a house down there but it's miles up river.
nsriver, stream; the Yellow river3
11
我们常常在河边散步，看日落。
Wǒmen chángcháng zài hé biān sànbù, kàn rìluò.
We often take walks by the river and watch the sunset.
12
那条河的水很清，可以看到鱼游来游去。
Nà tiáo hé de shuǐ hěn qīng, kěyǐ kàn dào yú yóu lái yóu qù.
The water in that river is very clear; you can see fish swimming around.
13
黄河是中国的一条重要的河流。
Huáng Hé shì Zhōngguó de yītiáo zhòngyào de héliú.
The Yellow River is an important river in China.
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Cultural Notes for 河
💡Did you know?
In Chinese culture, rivers are often seen as symbols of life and prosperity. The Yellow River, known as '黄河' (Huáng Hé), is especially significant as it is considered the cradle of Chinese civilization.
Word Family of 河
Compounds1
菏He2a river in Shandong province
Words Containing This Character20
河hériver
河南Henan province (Honan) in central China, abbr. 豫, capital Zhengzhou 鄭州|郑州[Zhèngzhōu]
爱河the river of love愛河
河流héliúriver
河边river bank河邊
河北Hebei province (Hopeh) in north China surrounding Beijing, short name 冀, capital Shijiazhuang 石家莊|石家庄[Shíjiāzhuāng]
银河Milky Way銀河
黄河huánghéYellow River or Huang He黃河
运河yùnhécanal運河
河水river water
河南省Henan province (Honan) in central China, abbr. 豫[Yù], capital Zhengzhou 鄭州|郑州[Zhèngzhōu]
河北省Hebei Province (Hopeh) in north China surrounding Beijing, short name 冀[Jì], capital Shijiazhuang 石家莊|石家庄[Shíjiāzhuāng]
银河系Milky Way Galaxy銀河系
河豚puffer
河道river course
河马hippopotamus河馬
小河brook
天河Milky Way
河谷river valley
河畔hépànriverside
Exercise 1 of 4
Characters with 河
What does 菏 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 河
Some common phrases with 河 include '黄河' (Huáng Hé), which means 'Yellow River,' and '河流' (héliú), meaning 'river flow' or 'watercourse.' These phrases are useful for discussing geography or nature in Chinese.
In Chinese, 河 (hé) refers specifically to a larger river, whereas smaller bodies of flowing water are often referred to as 小溪 (xiǎoxī), meaning 'stream.' Understanding this difference can help in accurately describing water bodies in conversation.
河 (hé) means 'river' in Chinese. It refers to a large natural stream of water that flows in a channel to the sea, a lake, or another river. The character is commonly used in geographical contexts, such as naming rivers like the Yellow River.
You can use 河 (hé) in a sentence to describe a river, such as '这条河很美' (Zhè tiáo hé hěn měi), which means 'This river is beautiful.' It's often used with the measure word 条 (tiáo) when referring to rivers.
Make sure to use the second tone, which is rising, as in 'hé'.
No, 河 specifically refers to rivers; for lakes or smaller streams, use 湖 (hú) or 溪 (xī) respectively.
The measure word for rivers is 条 (tiáo).
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