涸 (hé) - Dry up & to dry out

涸Tone 2

hé ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

枫惠

涸 · hé

Dry up;

to dry out;

to become parched or exhausted (of water, resources, etc.

).

Dry upto dry outto become parched or exhausted (of water, resources,

Usage highlights

Dry upRun dryDriedExhaust resourcesDry season

Synonyms

  • 干— dry
  • 枯— withered; dried up
  • 竭— exhaust; use up

Antonyms

  • 润— moist; lubricate
  • 湿— wet
  • 盈— full; abundant

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The river dried up (河流涸了).
  • The well has run dry (井水涸竭).
  • A stranded fish in a dry rut (涸辙之鲋).
  • The pond is drying out (池塘正在涸干).

Collocations

  • Dry up(涸干)
  • Run dry(涸竭)
  • Dried-up river(涸河)
  • Dried-up well(涸井)
  • Exhaust resources(资源枯涸)
  • Dry season(涸季)

Idioms

  • A fish in a dry rut — someone in desperate straits(涸辙之鲋)
  • Drain the pond to get all the fish — a short-sighted, destructive plan(涸泽而渔)
  • Like a stranded fish waiting for a little water — in urgent need of help(涸鲋得水)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Often used metaphorically to describe exhaustion of resources, energy, or creativity.
  • The idiom '涸辙之鲋' originates from a Zhuangzi parable about a fish trapped in a dried cart rut, symbolizing desperate need.
  • Implies a negative state of depletion and is rarely used in names due to its connotations of dryness and exhaustion.

FAQ