At the A1 level, you only need to know that 洪水 (hóngshuǐ) means 'big water' or 'flood'. You should recognize the radical 氵 which means water. It's a noun you might see in a picture book about weather. Think of it as 'too much rain'. You don't need to use it in complex sentences yet, just understand it when someone points to a flooded street and says '洪水'. It's a basic building block for talking about nature and disasters. At this stage, focus on the visual of the characters and the basic sound 'hong-shui'.
At the A2 level, you should be able to use 洪水 in simple sentences to describe the weather or a news event. You should know that it's a noun and can be the subject of a sentence, like '洪水来了' (The flood is coming). You should also learn the measure word '场' (cháng) to say '一场洪水'. This level requires you to distinguish it from simple 'rain' (雨) and understand that it implies a problem or a disaster. You might use it when talking about why you couldn't travel to a certain place or what you saw on the news last night.
At the B1 level, you should understand the impact of 洪水 on people and the environment. You will start using verbs like '淹没' (yānmò - to submerge) and '破坏' (pòhuài - to destroy) in combination with 洪水. You should be able to discuss '洪水预警' (flood warnings) and basic safety measures. Your vocabulary should expand to include '预防' (prevention) and '救援' (rescue). You can describe the cause of a flood using '因为' (because) or '由于' (due to), and explain the consequences for farmers or city dwellers in a paragraph.
At the B2 level, you are expected to use 洪水 in more formal and abstract contexts. You should be familiar with its use in news reports, including terms like '水位' (water level), '堤坝' (dam/levee), and '洪峰' (flood peak). You can discuss the relationship between 洪水 and climate change (气候变化). You should also start recognizing metaphorical uses, such as a 'flood of information' or 'flood of emotions'. Your ability to use specific adjectives like '汹涌' (turbulent) or '毁灭性' (devastating) to describe the flood will show your proficiency.
At the C1 level, you should have a deep understanding of the cultural and historical significance of 洪水 in China. This includes knowing the story of '大禹治水' (Yu the Great taming the flood) and how it shaped Chinese governance and philosophy. You should be able to use idioms like '洪水猛兽' (hóngshuǐ měngshòu) naturally in conversation or writing. You can analyze complex texts about disaster management or environmental policy that use technical variations like '内涝' (urban flooding) or '洪涝灾害' (flood and waterlogging disasters). Your usage should be nuanced, distinguishing between literal and figurative deluges.
At the C2 level, you can use 洪水 with the precision of a native speaker or an expert. You can engage in high-level debates about hydraulic engineering, the history of the Yellow River's floods, and the socio-economic impact of seasonal flooding in China. You are comfortable with archaic or poetic references to floods in classical literature. You can use 洪水 in complex rhetorical structures to symbolize chaos, change, or overwhelming force in philosophical or political discourse. Your mastery includes understanding all regional variations and technical jargon associated with water management and hydrology.

洪水 in 30 Seconds

  • 洪水 (hóngshuǐ) is the standard Chinese noun for 'flood', used for natural disasters involving massive amounts of water overflowing from rivers or rain.
  • It is composed of '洪' (vast) and '水' (water), emphasizing the scale and the substance of the event.
  • Commonly paired with the measure word '场' (cháng) and verbs like '淹没' (submerge) or '爆发' (break out).
  • It has deep cultural roots in Chinese history, specifically through the legend of Yu the Great taming the flood waters.

The Chinese word 洪水 (hóngshuǐ) is a powerful noun that translates to 'flood' or 'deluge' in English. It is composed of two characters: 洪 (hóng), which means 'vast', 'immense', or 'grand', and 水 (shuǐ), the universal character for 'water'. Together, they describe a massive, often uncontrollable volume of water that overflows onto land that is usually dry. In a literal sense, it refers to natural disasters caused by heavy rainfall, melting snow, or dam failures. However, its usage extends beyond the meteorological into the metaphorical, describing an overwhelming surge of anything, such as information, emotions, or people.

Literal Definition
A large amount of water covering an area that is usually dry, typically caused by heavy rain or a river overflowing its banks.
Metaphorical Definition
An overwhelming quantity of something that arrives suddenly, such as a 'flood of complaints' (投诉的洪水) or a 'flood of tears' (泪如洪水).

大雨过后,山上的洪水冲毁了村庄。(After the heavy rain, the flood from the mountains destroyed the village.)

Historically, 洪水 holds a significant place in Chinese culture. The 'Great Flood' (大洪水) is a central myth in Chinese mythology, where the legendary hero Yu the Great (大禹) spent thirteen years managing the waters to save the civilization. This cultural background makes the word carry a weight of both destruction and the human effort required to manage nature. You will hear this word most frequently during the 'plum rain' season (梅雨季节) in Southern China or during the summer monsoon months when river levels rise dangerously.

In modern contexts, 洪水 is often paired with 预防 (yùfáng - prevention) and 治理 (zhìlǐ - management). For an A2 learner, understanding 洪水 is essential for following weather reports and discussing environmental issues. It is a 'level 1' disaster word, more specific than just 'bad weather' (天气不好) but more common than technical terms like 'inundation' (淹没). When you see the radical 氵 (water) in both characters, it serves as a visual reminder of the word's essence. The character 洪 specifically uses the radical with 共 (gòng - together/common), suggesting a 'common gathering of water' on a massive scale.

政府正在努力修建堤坝以防止洪水。(The government is working hard to build dams to prevent floods.)

Using 洪水 correctly requires understanding its grammatical role as a noun and the specific verbs that accompany it. In Chinese, nouns don't change for pluralization, so 洪水 can mean 'a flood' or 'floods' depending on the context. To quantify it, we use the measure word 场 (cháng) for events or 次 (cì) for occurrences.

As a Subject
洪水淹没了农田。(The flood submerged the farmland.) Here, the flood is the active agent of destruction.
As an Object
我们必须预防洪水。(We must prevent floods.) Here, it is the target of the action.

那一年的洪水是五十年来最严重的。(The flood that year was the most serious in fifty years.)

One of the most common sentence patterns involves the resultative verb 淹没 (yānmò), which means 'to submerge' or 'to drown out'. When 洪水 is the subject, it is almost always doing the '淹没-ing'. Another important pattern is 由于...洪水 (Due to... floods), used to explain the cause of damage or displacement. In formal news reporting, you will often see the phrase 受洪水影响 (affected by floods).

For intermediate learners, you can use 洪水 as a modifier for other nouns. For example, 洪水预警 (hóngshuǐ yùjǐng) means 'flood warning' and 洪水保险 (hóngshuǐ bǎoxiǎn) means 'flood insurance'. When describing the intensity of the flood, use adjectives like 汹涌 (xiōngyǒng - turbulent/surging) or 无情 (wúqíng - ruthless).

汹涌的洪水像野兽一样冲过来。(The surging flood rushed over like a wild beast.)

Common Verb Collocations
爆发 (Break out), 退去 (Recede), 抵御 (Resist), 造成 (Cause - usually damage).

You will encounter 洪水 in several distinct environments. The most common is the Daily News (新闻). China has several major river systems, notably the Yangtze (长江) and the Yellow River (黄河). During the summer, news anchors will frequently report on 水位 (shuǐwèi - water levels) and the risk of 洪水. If you are living in China, you might receive emergency SMS alerts on your phone that include this word during severe storms.

新闻报道说,南方地区正面临严重的洪水威胁。(The news report said that the southern regions are facing a serious flood threat.)

Another place is in History and Literature. As mentioned, the story of 'Yu the Great Taming the Waters' (大禹治水) is taught to every Chinese child. In this context, 洪水 is portrayed as a primordial force of chaos that must be channeled rather than just blocked. You might also hear it in Environmental Discussions. With climate change (气候变化) being a hot topic, 洪水 is often cited as a consequence of global warming and extreme weather patterns.

In a more modern, digital context, you might hear people use the term 刷屏 (shuāpíng) which is like a 'flood' of comments on a social media thread, though 洪水 itself is less common here than in English. However, in formal speeches or academic papers regarding sociology, a 'flood of refugees' would be translated using 洪水 as a metaphor for an overwhelming influx.

历史书上记载了那次毁灭性的洪水。(History books recorded that devastating flood.)

Common Settings
Weather forecasts, history classes, disaster relief documentaries, and environmental activism rallies.

One of the most frequent errors English speakers make is confusing 洪水 with related but distinct terms like 淹 (yān) or 积水 (jīshuǐ). While 洪水 refers to the massive event of a flood, is the verb 'to drown' or 'to flood (an area)'. You can say '洪水淹了房子' but you cannot use '淹' as a noun to mean 'the flood'.

错误: 街道上有很多洪水。(Wrong: There is a lot of 'flood' on the street.)
正确: 街道上有很多积水。(Correct: There is a lot of standing water/puddles on the street.)

Another mistake is using 洪水 to describe a simple leak or a small overflow in a bathroom. 洪水 implies a large-scale natural disaster. If your sink overflows, use 溢出来 (yì chūlái - overflow). Using 洪水 for a small mess sounds overly dramatic unless you are being intentionally sarcastic. Furthermore, learners often forget the measure word 场 (cháng). Saying '一个洪水' is grammatically awkward; '一场洪水' is the standard way to refer to a specific flooding event.

Pronunciation is another area for caution. The 'hóng' in 洪水 is second tone (rising), and 'shuǐ' is third tone (falling-rising). If you mispronounce 'hóng' as 'hòng' (fourth tone), it might sound like 'red water' (红水 - though that's also hóng) or other unrelated characters. Ensure the 'h' is soft and the 'ong' sound is resonant in the back of the throat.

Confusing Word
大雨 (dàyǔ - heavy rain). While heavy rain causes floods, they are not the same thing. Don't say '洪水在下' (The flood is falling); say '大雨导致了洪水' (Heavy rain caused the flood).

To enrich your vocabulary, it's helpful to know words that are similar to 洪水 but used in different contexts. While 洪水 is the general term for 'flood', Chinese has several specialized terms for different types of water-related disasters.

水灾 (shuǐzāi)
Literally 'water disaster'. This is a broader term that includes floods but also other water-related calamities like dam bursts or heavy rain damage. It emphasizes the 'disaster' aspect.
内涝 (nèilào)
Urban flooding. This specifically refers to water logging in cities where the drainage system cannot handle the rainfall. It's what happens to streets, not rivers.
山洪 (shānhóng)
Flash floods in mountainous areas. These are particularly dangerous because they occur very suddenly.

这场水灾影响了数千人,但主要是城市内涝。(This water disaster affected thousands, but it was mainly urban flooding.)

When comparing 洪水 with 泛滥 (fànlàn), note that 泛滥 is often used as a verb meaning 'to overflow' or 'to run rampant'. You can say '洪水泛滥' (the flood overflows). In metaphorical terms, 泛滥 is used more often for things like 'illegal goods' or 'bad ideas' spreading everywhere, whereas 洪水 as a metaphor usually implies a sudden, overwhelming force.

Finally, consider the opposite: 旱灾 (hànzāi - drought). In Chinese geography and agricultural history, 洪水 and 旱灾 are the two primary enemies of the people. Understanding one often involves understanding the other as they represent the extremes of the water cycle.

How Formal Is It?

Fun Fact

In Chinese mythology, the Great Flood was said to have lasted for two generations. Yu the Great's success in controlling it was the justification for his founding of the Xia Dynasty.

Pronunciation Guide

UK /ˈhɒŋ.ʃweɪ/
US /ˈhɔŋ.ʃweɪ/
Equal stress on both syllables, though the tones provide the rhythmic structure.
Rhymes With
红 (hóng) 共 (gòng) 送 (sòng) 嘴 (zuǐ) 腿 (tuǐ) 鬼 (guǐ) 水 (shuǐ) 美 (měi)
Common Errors
  • Pronouncing 'hóng' as 'hōng' (first tone).
  • Pronouncing 'shuǐ' as 'shuí' (second tone).
  • Confusing the 'sh' sound with 's'.
  • Failing to make the 'ong' sound nasal enough.
  • Pronouncing the 'ui' in 'shui' like 'oo-ee' instead of a smooth 'way' sound.

Difficulty Rating

Reading 2/5

Characters are relatively simple with clear radicals.

Writing 3/5

The character '洪' requires attention to stroke order.

Speaking 2/5

Tones are standard (2nd and 3rd).

Listening 2/5

Commonly heard in weather reports.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

Learn Next

淹没 灾害 预防 堤坝 治理

Advanced

洪涝 泛滥 滔天 疏导 水利工程

Grammar to Know

Measure words for events (场)

昨晚下了一场大雨,引发了一场洪水。

Cause and Effect (由于...导致...)

由于洪水,交通中断了。

Passive voice with '受'

很多农田受洪水影响被淹没了。

Resultative complements (冲毁, 淹没)

洪水冲毁了那座木桥。

Directional complements (退去, 涌来)

洪水正向村庄涌来。

Examples by Level

1

这是洪水。

This is a flood.

Simple Subject-Verb-Object structure.

2

洪水很大。

The flood is very big.

Using '很' to describe the noun.

3

洪水有水。

A flood has water.

Basic identification of components.

4

我不喜欢洪水。

I don't like floods.

Expressing a simple preference.

5

洪水来了!

The flood is coming!

Using '了' to indicate a change of state.

6

看,那是洪水。

Look, that is a flood.

Using '看' to draw attention.

7

洪水是危险的。

Floods are dangerous.

Simple adjective description.

8

这里没有洪水。

There is no flood here.

Negation using '没有'.

1

昨天下大雨,所以有了洪水。

It rained heavily yesterday, so there was a flood.

Using '所以' (so) to show cause and effect.

2

一场洪水淹没了这个村子。

A flood submerged this village.

Using the measure word '一场'.

3

洪水冲走了他的车。

The flood washed away his car.

Using '冲走' (wash away) as a resultative verb.

4

我们要小心洪水。

We need to be careful of floods.

Using '小心' (be careful).

5

洪水退了吗?

Has the flood receded?

Question form with '吗'.

6

电视上在说洪水的事。

The TV is talking about the flood.

Using '...的事' to mean 'the matter of'.

7

因为洪水,路不通了。

Because of the flood, the road is blocked.

Using '因为' (because).

8

洪水破坏了很多房子。

The flood destroyed many houses.

Using '破坏' (destroy).

1

政府发布了洪水预警。

The government issued a flood warning.

Using '发布' (issue) and '预警' (warning).

2

由于连日降雨,洪水爆发了。

Due to continuous rain, a flood broke out.

Using '由于' (due to) and '爆发' (break out).

3

农民们担心洪水会淹没农田。

Farmers are worried that floods will submerge the fields.

Expressing concern with '担心'.

4

这道堤坝可以抵御洪水。

This dam can resist floods.

Using '抵御' (resist).

5

洪水过后,到处都是泥土。

After the flood, there was mud everywhere.

Using '...过后' (after ...).

6

救援队正在帮助受洪水影响的人。

The rescue team is helping people affected by the flood.

Using '受...影响' (affected by).

7

我们需要学习如何预防洪水。

We need to learn how to prevent floods.

Using '如何' (how to).

8

洪水造成了巨大的经济损失。

The flood caused huge economic losses.

Using '造成' (cause/result in).

1

洪水不仅淹没了房屋,还破坏了电力系统。

The flood not only submerged houses but also destroyed the power system.

Using '不仅...还...' (not only... but also...).

2

汹涌的洪水瞬间吞没了整座大桥。

The surging flood swallowed the entire bridge in an instant.

Using '汹涌' (surging) and '吞没' (swallow/submerge).

3

专家认为这次洪水与气候变化有关。

Experts believe this flood is related to climate change.

Using '与...有关' (related to).

4

洪水灾害的频率在逐年增加。

The frequency of flood disasters is increasing year by year.

Using '逐年' (year by year).

5

在洪水的威胁下,村民们不得不撤离。

Under the threat of the flood, the villagers had to evacuate.

Using '在...的威胁下' (under the threat of).

6

保险公司拒绝赔偿洪水造成的损失。

The insurance company refused to compensate for losses caused by the flood.

Using '拒绝' (refuse) and '赔偿' (compensate).

7

洪水过后的防疫工作非常重要。

Epidemic prevention work after a flood is very important.

Using '防疫' (epidemic prevention).

8

这条河流经常发生季节性洪水。

This river often experiences seasonal floods.

Using '季节性' (seasonal).

1

面对突如其来的洪水,当地政府启动了一级响应。

In the face of the sudden flood, the local government initiated a Level 1 response.

Using '突如其来' (sudden) and '启动' (initiate).

2

他认为这些虚假信息就像洪水一样不可阻挡。

He believes this fake information is as unstoppable as a flood.

Metaphorical use of '像...一样'.

3

大禹治水的故事反映了中国人治理洪水的智慧。

The story of Yu the Great taming the waters reflects the wisdom of the Chinese people in managing floods.

Using '反映' (reflect) and '治理' (manage/tame).

4

洪水退去后,重建家园的任务依然艰巨。

After the flood receded, the task of rebuilding homes remained arduous.

Using '艰巨' (arduous/difficult).

5

生态破坏是导致此次洪水泛滥的主要诱因。

Ecological destruction was the main incentive/cause for this flood overflow.

Using '诱因' (incentive/cause).

6

洪水猛兽般的危机感促使他做出了决定。

A sense of crisis like a flood or wild beast prompted him to make a decision.

Using the idiom '洪水猛兽'.

7

由于排水系统老化,城市内涝演变成了严重的洪水。

Due to the aging drainage system, urban waterlogging evolved into a serious flood.

Using '演变成' (evolve into).

8

我们必须在洪水到来之前加固大坝。

We must reinforce the dam before the flood arrives.

Using '加固' (reinforce).

1

历史的长河中,洪水曾多次改写文明的进程。

In the long river of history, floods have many times rewritten the course of civilization.

Poetic and historical context.

2

这种思想的洪水一旦闸门开启,便再难遏制。

Once the floodgates of this thought are opened, it will be difficult to contain.

Highly abstract metaphorical use.

3

该地区的洪水防治体系已达到国际先进水平。

The flood prevention and control system in this region has reached international advanced levels.

Formal technical terminology.

4

纵观古今,人类与洪水的斗争从未停止过。

Looking throughout history, the struggle between humanity and floods has never ceased.

Using '纵观古今' (looking throughout history).

5

洪水不仅是自然灾害,更是对社会治理能力的考验。

A flood is not just a natural disaster, but also a test of social governance capabilities.

Sociopolitical analysis.

6

气候变暖导致极端降水增加,进而引发毁灭性洪水。

Climate warming leads to increased extreme precipitation, which in turn triggers devastating floods.

Using '进而' (and then/in turn).

7

在洪水滔天的时刻,团结协作是唯一的出路。

In the moment of surging floods, unity and cooperation are the only way out.

Using '洪水滔天' (overflowing/surging floods).

8

政府通过湿地修复来缓冲洪水的冲击。

The government uses wetland restoration to buffer the impact of floods.

Using '缓冲' (buffer) and '冲击' (impact).

Common Collocations

爆发洪水
引发洪水
预防洪水
洪水淹没
洪水退去
洪水预警
抵御洪水
洪水季节
特大洪水
治理洪水

Common Phrases

洪水期

— The period of time when floods are likely to occur. Often used in hydrology.

我们要做好洪水期的准备。

洪水位

— The specific level water reaches during a flood. Used in engineering.

水位已经超过了警戒洪水位。

洪水灾害

— The disaster caused by flooding. A formal term.

洪水灾害给当地带来了痛苦。

洪水滔天

— A phrase describing a very large, overwhelming flood. Poetic.

那时候洪水滔天,大地一片汪洋。

洪水猛兽

— Something very dangerous or harmful. An idiom.

有人把互联网看作洪水猛兽。

洪水预防

— Flood prevention measures.

洪水预防工作正在进行中。

洪水泛滥

— The act of a flood spreading out uncontrollably.

洪水泛滥成灾。

洪水保险

— Insurance specifically covering flood damage.

你买洪水保险了吗?

洪水救援

— Rescue operations specifically for flood victims.

洪水救援队已经出发了。

洪水治理

— The management and control of floodwaters.

洪水治理是一个长期工程。

Often Confused With

洪水 vs

淹 is a verb (to submerge); 洪水 is a noun (the flood itself).

洪水 vs 积水

积水 refers to puddles or standing water on streets; 洪水 is a large-scale disaster.

洪水 vs 大雨

大雨 is the cause (heavy rain); 洪水 is the result (the flood).

Idioms & Expressions

"洪水猛兽"

— Something that is a great evil or a terrifying threat. Literally: Floods and wild beasts.

旧时代的人们把新思想看作洪水猛兽。

Formal/Literary
"决堤之水"

— Water from a burst dam; something unstoppable.

他的愤怒像决堤之水一样爆发了。

Literary
"旱涝保收"

— Ensuring a good harvest regardless of drought or flood; very stable.

这个投资项目是旱涝保收的。

Common
"水涨船高"

— When the river rises, the boat floats higher; things improve together.

随着公司利润增加,员工工资也水涨船高。

Common
"杯水车薪"

— A cup of water to put out a fire on a cart of wood; an utterly inadequate measure.

这点钱对于救灾来说只是杯水车薪。

Common
"大禹治水"

— Refers to the legend of Yu the Great; signifies great perseverance and wisdom in management.

我们需要发扬大禹治水的精神。

Historical
"如鱼得水"

— Like a fish in water; being in one's element (opposite of being overwhelmed by flood).

他在这个新岗位上如鱼得水。

Common
"水滴石穿"

— Constant dripping wears away stone; persistence pays off.

只要努力,水滴石穿,你一定能成功。

Common
"沧海横流"

— The sea in turmoil; a time of great social upheaval.

沧海横流,方显英雄本色。

Literary
"防患于未然"

— Prevent trouble before it happens (often used with flood prevention).

修堤坝是为了防患于未然。

Formal

Easily Confused

洪水 vs 洪亮

Starts with '洪'.

洪亮 means 'loud and clear' (usually of a voice). It has nothing to do with water.

他的声音很洪亮。

洪水 vs 泛滥

Similar meaning.

泛滥 focuses on the act of overflowing or spreading, whereas 洪水 is the body of water.

河水泛滥了。

洪水 vs 海啸

Both involve big water.

海啸 is a tsunami (caused by earthquakes); 洪水 is a flood (usually caused by rain).

地震引发了海啸。

洪水 vs 内涝

Both are floods.

内涝 is urban waterlogging due to poor drainage; 洪水 is river or rain-based flooding.

这场雨导致了严重的城市内涝。

洪水 vs 漏水

Both involve water in the wrong place.

漏水 is a leak (like from a pipe); 洪水 is a massive natural event.

天花板在漏水。

Sentence Patterns

A2

这里有...

这里有洪水。

A2

...来了

洪水来了。

B1

由于...爆发了洪水

由于大雨,爆发了洪水。

B1

洪水淹没了...

洪水淹没了庄稼。

B2

洪水不仅...还...

洪水不仅淹没了房子,还冲坏了路。

B2

受...影响

受洪水影响,火车停运了。

C1

面对...的威胁

面对洪水的威胁,我们必须团结。

C2

...犹如洪水猛兽

贪婪犹如洪水猛兽。

Word Family

Nouns

水灾 (shuǐzāi)
洪峰 (hóngfēng)
洪流 (hóngliú)
洪荒 (hónghuāng)

Verbs

淹没 (yānmò)
泛滥 (fànlàn)
冲毁 (chōnghuǐ)

Adjectives

汹涌 (xiōngyǒng)
浩大 (hàodà)
宏伟 (hóngwěi - related character)

Related

河流
堤坝
降雨
灾害
救援

How to Use It

frequency

High, especially in summer months and geographical contexts.

Common Mistakes
  • 下洪水 爆发洪水

    You don't 'rain' a flood; rain 'causes' a flood.

  • 一个洪水 一场洪水

    The measure word '个' is too generic; '场' is for events.

  • 我的厨房有洪水 我的厨房漏水了

    洪水 is for natural disasters, not small home leaks.

  • 洪水淹了 洪水淹没了

    淹没 is the more complete and formal resultative verb.

  • 洪水很湿 洪水很大

    Saying a flood is 'wet' is redundant; focus on the size or danger.

Tips

Use with '了'

When a flood has already happened, always add '了' to the verb, e.g., '洪水淹没了村庄了' or '洪水退了'.

Learn the Radical

The 氵 radical is your best friend. It appears in almost every word related to 洪水.

Historical Context

Mentioning '大禹治水' will impress native speakers as it shows deep cultural knowledge.

Tone Mastery

Focus on the transition from the rising 2nd tone to the falling-rising 3rd tone.

Urban vs. Rural

In cities, you'll hear '内涝' more often; in the countryside, '洪水' is more common.

Stroke Order

Practice the '共' part of '洪' to ensure it doesn't look like two separate characters.

News Keywords

Learn '撤离' (evacuate) and '安全' (safe) alongside 洪水.

Abstract Use

Don't be afraid to use it for an 'overwhelming' amount of work, but keep it for dramatic effect.

Antonym Pair

Always learn 洪水 and 旱灾 (drought) together as a pair of opposites.

Listen to Forecasts

Chinese weather forecasts are great for hearing 洪水 used in a professional context.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'Hong' as 'Huge' and 'Shui' as 'Splash'. A Huge Splash is a Flood! Also, the radical 氵 tells you it's about water.

Visual Association

Imagine the character 洪 as a dam (the right side 共) being overwhelmed by water (the left side 氵).

Word Web

水 (Water) 大 (Big) 灾害 (Disaster) 雨 (Rain) 河 (River) 淹 (Submerge) 救 (Rescue) 堤 (Dam)

Challenge

Try to use '洪水' in a sentence that describes a news report you saw on television.

Word Origin

The character 洪 (hóng) dates back to ancient seal scripts, combining the water radical (氵) with 共 (gòng), meaning 'together' or 'total', suggesting a vast accumulation of water. The character 水 (shuǐ) is a pictograph of flowing water.

Original meaning: A vast, overflowing body of water.

Sino-Tibetan

Cultural Context

Be sensitive when discussing 洪水 in regions currently experiencing them, as they cause significant loss of life and property in China annually.

English speakers often use 'flood' metaphorically for emails or work, while in Chinese, 洪水 is more heavily associated with literal natural disasters and historical legends.

The Great Flood of Yu (大禹治水) The 1931 China Floods (one of the deadliest natural disasters) The Three Gorges Dam project

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Weather Forecast

  • 发布预警
  • 水位上涨
  • 强降雨
  • 注意安全

History Class

  • 大禹治水
  • 古代文明
  • 河流泛滥
  • 农业影响

Insurance/Business

  • 洪水保险
  • 赔偿损失
  • 自然灾害
  • 风险评估

Environmental Discussion

  • 气候变化
  • 全球变暖
  • 极端天气
  • 生态平衡

Emergency Situation

  • 紧急撤离
  • 救援物资
  • 寻找高地
  • 保持联系

Conversation Starters

"你看昨晚的新闻了吗?南方好像发洪水了。"

"你觉得气候变化会导致更多的洪水吗?"

"在你的家乡,洪水常见吗?"

"如果你遇到洪水,你会带走什么东西?"

"你听说过大禹治水的故事吗?"

Journal Prompts

描述一次你在新闻中看到的洪水。发生了什么?人们是怎么互相帮助的?

如果洪水威胁到你的城市,你会有什么感觉?你会做哪些准备?

写一段关于大禹治水的短文,解释为什么这个故事在今天仍然重要。

讨论人类应该如何更好地预防和治理洪水。

洪水可以作为一种隐喻吗?在你的生活中,有没有什么事情让你觉得像洪水一样不可阻挡?

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

The most common measure word is '场' (cháng), used for events or occurrences, such as '一场洪水'.

No, 洪水 implies a large-scale disaster. For a small spill, use '洒了' or '溢出'.

洪水 is the physical flood itself, while 水灾 is the 'disaster' or the calamity caused by water.

Yes, it can describe an overwhelming amount of things like 'information' (信息的洪水) or 'emotions'.

The term is '洪水预警' (hóngshuǐ yùjǐng).

Yu the Great (大禹), who is famous for 'taming the waters'.

Yes, especially during the summer monsoon season when river levels rise.

Common verbs include 爆发 (break out), 淹没 (submerge), 冲毁 (destroy), and 预防 (prevent).

Usually yes, but it can also refer to flash floods from mountains (山洪) or general massive overflows.

It consists of 10 strokes for 洪 and 4 strokes for 水. Both have the water radical or are water-related.

Test Yourself 189 questions

writing

Translate: The flood destroyed many houses.

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writing

Translate: We must prevent floods.

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speaking

Describe what happens during a flood in Chinese.

Read this aloud:

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listening

Listen and identify: (Audio of '洪水预警'). What was just announced?

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writing

Write a sentence using '由于' and '洪水'.

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writing

Translate: The flood is receding.

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speaking

Pronounce 'hóngshuǐ' correctly.

Read this aloud:

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writing

Translate: The water level is rising.

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writing

Translate: Be careful of the flood.

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writing

Translate: The dam broke.

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writing

Translate: The flood came suddenly.

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writing

Translate: He is afraid of floods.

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writing

Translate: There is a flood warning today.

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writing

Translate: The flood is very dangerous.

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writing

Translate: The flood is rising.

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writing

Translate: The flood destroyed the bridge.

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writing

Translate: The news is about the flood.

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writing

Translate: The flood was terrifying.

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writing

Translate: The flood peak has passed.

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writing

Translate: Don't go near the flood.

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writing

Translate: The flood is a natural disaster.

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writing

Translate: The flood affected our travel plans.

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writing

Translate: The village was saved from the flood.

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writing

Translate: The flood is very strong.

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writing

Translate: We are helping flood victims.

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writing

Translate: The flood has stopped.

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writing

Translate: The flood is a challenge.

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writing

Translate: The flood is coming from the mountains.

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writing

Translate: The flood is over.

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writing

Translate: The flood is deep.

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writing

Translate: The flood was caused by heavy rain.

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writing

Translate: The flood was a tragedy.

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writing

Translate: The flood level is high.

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writing

Translate: The flood moved very fast.

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writing

Translate: There was a flood last year.

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writing

Translate: The flood is dangerous to everyone.

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writing

Translate: The flood is scary.

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writing

Translate: The flood peak is coming.

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writing

Translate: The flood is a major problem.

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writing

Translate: The flood is rising every hour.

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writing

Translate: The flood has caused much trouble.

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writing

Translate: The flood peak reached 10 meters.

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writing

Translate: The flood will recede soon.

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writing

Translate: The flood is very large.

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/ 189 correct

Perfect score!

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