Character Familiesleft / right

流liú

(of liquid) to move; to flow; to spread; to circulate (rumors, trends); a stream or current (of rivers, air, electricity); class; grade; type

流 is water on the move: 流泪 'shed tears', a 河流 'river', 电流 'current', and 流行 'in fashion'.

GF0025–2021 character list · 二级
One character pageAll readings and linked senses stay together.

left / right

ZDIC header: 形声,左形右声; the detail section instead says 会意. The right block is shown as the written piece 㐬 with no exact modern sound claim.

left / right · 流

WHOLE CHARACTER

流liú

(of liquid) to move; to flow; to spread; to circulate (rumors, trends); a stream or current (of rivers, air, electricity); class; grade; type

流 is water on the move: 流泪 'shed tears', a 河流 'river', 电流 'current', and 流行 'in fashion'.

ZDIC header: 形声,左形右声; the detail section instead says 会意. The right block is shown as the written piece 㐬 with no exact modern sound claim.

MEANING: THE WATER SIDE (HEADER: 左形右声)

氵shuǐ

water (as the source idea 水)

A component form of 水; not counted as a standalone character page.

In 流: meaning: the water side (header: 左形右声) The three-drop water form.

RIGHT: THE OLD SOUND BLOCK PER THE HEADER

㐬

Notice this part of the shape; it is not taught as a separate word in this lesson.

In 流: right: the old sound block per the header A rare bound piece; the source names no reading for it, so no sound match is claimed and it stays unglossed.

liúTone 2
  • (of liquid) to move; to flow
  • to spread; to circulate (rumors, trends)
  • a stream or current (of rivers, air, electricity)
  • class; grade; type
  • 流泪liúlèito shed tears
  • 流行liúxíngpopular; fashionable
  • 河流héliúriver
  • 电流diànliúelectric current

Checking for a Mandarin voice…