洫 (xù) - Ditch, moat, trench & to drain

洫Tone 4

xù ｜ 9 strokes ｜ radical:

信嫣

洫 · xù

Ditch, moat, trench;

to drain;

ancient unit of measurement for land area.

Ditch, moat, trenchto drainancient unit of measurement for land area.

Usage highlights

Ditches and channelsCity moatField channelsAncient measurement unitDrainage systemWater channels

Synonyms

  • 沟— ditch, channel
  • 渠— canal, channel
  • 壕— moat, trench

Antonyms

  • 堤— embankment, dike (opposite function)
  • 坝— dam (blocks water rather than channels it)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The ancient city had a protective moat (城洫).
  • Farmers dug ditches for irrigation (沟洫).
  • Land was measured in ancient units (田洫).
  • The system of field channels (井洫制度) was important for agriculture.

Collocations

  • Ditches and channels(沟洫)
  • City moat(城洫)
  • Field channels(田洫)
  • Ancient measurement unit(洫制)
  • Drainage system(排洫)
  • Water channels(水洫)

Idioms

  • Ditches and fields in good order(沟洫井然)
  • Well-maintained water channels(修治沟洫)
  • Ancient system of field division(井田沟洫)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In ancient China, 洫 referred to the irrigation and drainage systems that were crucial for agricultural civilization.
  • The character appears in classical texts describing the well-field system (井田制) of land division.
  • As a measurement unit, it represented a specific area of land in ancient surveying systems.

FAQ