湖 (hú) - Lake — a large inland body of standing & also used metaphorically for vastness or calmness.

湖Tone 2

hú ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

枫惠

湖 · hú

Lake — a large inland body of standing water;

also used metaphorically for vastness or calmness.

Lake — a large inland body of standingalso used metaphorically for vastness or calmness.

Usage highlights

West LakeLake waterLake areaLake and mountain sceneryDongting LakePoyang Lake

Synonyms

  • 泊— lake (often smaller or marshier)
  • 潭— deep pool; pond

Antonyms

  • 山— mountain (contrasting landform)
  • 海— sea (contrasting large water body)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • We went boating on the lake (湖上划船).
  • The West Lake in Hangzhou is famous (西湖).
  • Lake water is usually fresh water (湖水).
  • There are many lakes in this region (湖泊).

Collocations

  • West Lake(西湖)
  • Lake water(湖水)
  • Lake area(湖区)
  • Lake and mountain scenery(湖光山色)
  • Dongting Lake(洞庭湖)
  • Poyang Lake(鄱阳湖)

Idioms

  • As calm as a mirror(水平如镜)
  • Five Lakes and Four Seas(五湖四海)
  • Lake light and mountain color(湖光山色)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Lakes hold significant cultural importance in Chinese poetry and landscape painting, often symbolizing tranquility, reflection, and natural beauty.
  • Famous lakes like West Lake (西湖) are deeply embedded in Chinese history, literature, and tourism.
  • The character 湖 is composed of the water radical (氵) and the phonetic component 胡, indicating its association with water bodies.

FAQ