Chinese word

小溪

Pronunciation

Pinyinxiǎo xī

Meaning

  • nounstream

Example

村子旁有一条小溪。cūn zi páng yǒu yì tiáo xiǎo xī

There is a stream beside the village.

Illustration for 小溪 (stream)

More examples

山间的小溪蜿蜒流过，带来阵阵凉意。shān jiān de xiǎo xī wān yán liú guò dài lái zhèn zhèn liáng yì

The mountain stream winds along, bringing a refreshing coolness.

Core concept

A small natural watercourse winding through a slope, woods, or a village edge.

Common phrases

  • 山间的小溪shān jiān de xiǎo xī

    mountain stream

  • 蜿蜒的小溪wān yán de xiǎo xī

    winding stream

  • 清澈见底的小溪qīng chè jiàn dǐ de xiǎo xī

    crystal-clear stream

Similar words

小河xiǎo hé: A somewhat wider natural river or stream with a fuller flow, often near a village or town.
溪流xī liú: A narrow natural stream flowing through mountains or forests, often around rocks and stones.
支流zhī liú: A smaller natural watercourse that flows into another river.
河流hé liú: A natural watercourse of any size flowing across land.

Definition in Chinese

小而狭窄的天然水道，常见于山坡、林间或村边，水量通常不大。xiǎo ér xiá zhǎi de tiān rán shuǐ dào cháng jiàn yú shān pō lín jiàn huò cūn biān shuǐ liàng tōng cháng bú dà

Word origin

The compound 小溪 (xiǎoxī, "small stream") combines 小 (xiǎo, "small") with 溪 (xī, "stream"), making the watercourse's limited scale explicit.

Usage tips

  • The phrase 小溪边 (xiǎoxī biān, "beside a stream") places the listener at the stream's edge, making it a useful compact setting phrase in everyday descriptions.

Other meanings

  • rivernoun

Opposites

  • 大河dà hégreat rivernoun
  • 海hǎiseanoun

Related words

  • 溪畔xī pànstreamsidenoun
  • 溪流xī liústreamnoun

Word lists with this word