川 chuān — river; creek; plain; an area of level country
四川是中国的一个省。Sì chuān shì Zhōng guó de yí ge shěng.Sichuan is a province in China.
Common words: 川流不息 (chuān liú bù xī)、山川 (shān chuān)、平川 (píng chuān)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "creek"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "creek", including 川 (chuān), 溪 (xī / qī), 溪 (xī / qī). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms…
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "creek" covers 3 different Chinese characters — 川 (chuān), 溪 (xī / qī), 溪 (xī / qī) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 3 characters do not share a sound — their readings span chuān, xī, qī — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 川 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 川 chuānriver; creek; plain; an area of level countryUseful words: 川流不息, 山川
- 溪 xī / qīcreek; creekUseful words: 小溪, 溪流
- 溪 xī / qīcreek; creekUseful words: 小溪, 溪流
Common words for these 3 "creek" characters
Anchor each of these 3 characters in a word you can picture — start with 川 (chuān) — so "creek" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
See each character in a sentence
Each character below is shown in a short example sentence with pinyin and an English translation — the quickest way to feel the difference between the 3 ways to say "creek".
溪 xī / qī — creek; creek
山间有一条清澈的小溪。Shān jiān yǒu yì tiáo qīng chè de xiǎo xī.There is a clear stream in the mountains.
Common words: 小溪 (xiǎo xī)、溪流 (xī liú)、溪谷 (xī gǔ)
溪 xī / qī — creek; creek
山间有一条清澈的小溪。Shān jiān yǒu yì tiáo qīng chè de xiǎo xī.There is a clear stream in the mountains.
Common words: 小溪 (xiǎo xī)、溪流 (xī liú)、溪谷 (xī gǔ)
All 3 characters
Open 川、溪、溪 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.