HSK · Level 38
120 words
Chinese word
干旱
Pronunciation
Pinyingān hàn
Meaning
- noundrought
Example
干旱已经持续三年了。gān hàn yǐ jīng chí xù sān nián le
The drought has already lasted for three years.
More examples
农田因干旱龟裂不堪。nóng tián yīn gān hàn jūn liè bù kān
The farmland is badly cracked because of the drought.
Core concept
The land remains abnormally dry across an area because rain has stayed away, putting crops, rivers, and natural habitats at risk.
Common phrases
遭受干旱zāo shòu gān hàn
suffer from drought
干旱地区gān hàn dì qū
drought-stricken area
严重干旱yán zhòng gān hàn
severe drought
Similar words
缺水quē shuǐ: An insufficient supply of water for drinking, farming, living, or other important needs.
旱灾hàn zāi: A major drought disaster that causes serious losses in farming and harm to residents.
旱季hàn jì: A recurring season in which a region receives little rain and remains unusually dry.
Definition in Chinese
由于长期或大范围缺乏降水，造成土壤和植被严重干燥、河流断流并可能引发农业或生态灾害的气象现象。yóu yú cháng qī huò dà fàn wéi quē fá jiàng shuǐ zào chéng tú rǎng hé zhí bèi yán zhòng gān zào hé liú duàn liú bìng kě néng yǐn fā nóng yè huò shēng tài zāi hài de qì xiàng xiàn xiàng
Word origin
干 (gān, "dry") points to the state of the land, while 旱 (hàn, "drought") adds the specific sense of dryness caused by too little rain.
Usage tips
- A place and a time span commonly accompany this noun to show its scale, since one dry garden or one rainless day does not necessarily describe the wider condition.
Opposites
- 洪涝hóng làofloodingnoun
- 湿季shī jìrainy seasonnoun
Related words
- 干旱期gān hàn qīdrought periodnoun
- 干旱带gān hàn dàiarid zonenoun
- 干旱化gān hàn huàaridificationnoun