What is the difference between 河，江 and 川？

What is the difference between 河，江 and 川？
Feb 11, 2011 03:47
SKYVIA Points: Join Date: Nov 22, 2010 Status: offline	I am sure this is a recurrent question, yet I was unable to find it, so please forgive me if it's been answered before. grinning smiley So basically, can someone explain the difference between 河，江 and 川？ We have 四川, 红河 (which is apparently also called 元江), 澜沧江 (also called 湄公河), etc. So are they simply interchangeable? Could we say for example 湄公江？ Can 川 be used in a river's name?

Feb 11, 2011 03:47

SKYVIA
Points:
Join Date: Nov 22, 2010
Status: offline

I am sure this is a recurrent question, yet I was unable to find it, so please forgive me if it's been answered before. grinning smiley

So basically, can someone explain the difference between 河，江 and 川？
We have 四川, 红河 (which is apparently also called 元江), 澜沧江 (also called 湄公河), etc.

So are they simply interchangeable? Could we say for example 湄公江？
Can 川 be used in a river's name?

Feb 16, 2011 02:58	#1
GREAT_HAN Points: Join Date: Jan 28, 2011 Status: Offline	川，泛指河流，不会出现在具体河流名称中，如名山大川，山川秀美，川流不息，常跟山连用，喻指疆土，国家。江，河，都指的是河流，可泛指，也可出现在具体的河流名称中，一般江是较大的河流，河较小，河多为江的支流。在中国也有比河小的溪流以江命名，常为河的支流。以上可以看出江，河没有明显的界定，至于河流叫“**江”又叫“++河“，只是习惯叫法，湄公河，澜沧江指的是同一河流，是习惯说法，但不可以说湄公江，澜沧江。在中国河流也可以称为水，如，淮河可叫淮水，汉江可叫汉水。
GREAT_HAN Points: Join Date: Jan 28, 2011 Status: Offline	Last edited by GREAT_HAN: Feb 16, 2011 03:03

Feb 16, 2011 03:22	#2
GREAT_HAN Points: Join Date: Jan 28, 2011 Status: Offline	江，河除本身意义河流之外，常连用，意思为国家，政权，如“江河日下”意思为国家衰败很快，一天不如一天。

Apr 14, 2011 23:20	#3
LISHUYANG Points: Join Date: Apr 14, 2011 Status: Offline	It has same meaning actually.

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