干涸
gānhé
The English phrase "dry out" is translated into Chinese as 干涸 (gānhé).
干涸 is an intransitive verb used to describe the process where excess water evaporates. It is typically used for natural water bodies such as rivers, lakes or wells.
Meaning: (intransitive) to have excess water evaporate (verb)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of 干 (gān), meaning dry and 涸 (hé), meaning to dry up or run dry.
Which one should you use?
干涸 is used when a natural water source disappears. This differs from 晒干, which means to dry something in the sun and 晾干, which means to air-dry something. While 干涸 implies the depletion of a resource, the other terms refer to intentional or physical processes of drying objects.
How do you pronounce it?
gānhé
Did you know?
- The concept of water 'drying out' is linked to the element of fire in traditional Chinese five-element theory, where fire overcomes water to cause 干涸.
- While 干涸 describes a lake drying out, it is also used metaphorically in Chinese to describe a person's feelings or creativity 'drying up' or becoming depleted.
- The character 干 used in 干涸 can be read as 'gān' when meaning 'dry' but as 'gàn' when referring to a 'trunk' or 'stem'. This is a common feature of Chinese where the same character changes meaning based on its tone.
Examples in context
- 我们需要把这些湿衣服晾出来，让它们干燥。We need to hang these wet clothes out to dry.
- 你知道这个洗衣机怎么进行烘干吗？Do you know how to use the dryer for this washing machine?
- 下雨了！你看，我都没有带伞，只能甩干身上的水。It's raining! Look, I didn't bring an umbrella, so I can only shake off the water from my body.
- 他一下就把头发甩干了。He quickly shook his hair dry.
- 我把洗好的衣服晾在外面，希望它们可以快点晾干。I hung the washed clothes outside, hoping they will dry quickly.
- 这些水果洗完后需要晾干。These fruits need to be air-dried after washing.
- 小溪很快就干涸了。Xiǎoxī hěn kuài jiù gānhé le.The stream dried out very quickly.
- 由于连续干旱，湖泊干涸了。Yóuyú liánxù gānhàn, húpò gānhé le.The lake dried out due to the continuous drought.
- 那片农田已经干涸了。Nà piàn nóngtián yǐjīng gānhé le.That farmland has already dried out.
Example conversation
Two friends are looking at a dried-up pond in a park.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen你看，这个池塘已经干涸了。Nǐ kàn, zhège chítáng yǐjīng gānhé le.Look, this pond has dried out.
- 志强 Zhiqiang是啊，最近真的没下雨。Shì a, zuìjìn zhēnde méi xià yǔ.Yeah, it really hasn't rained lately.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen志强，你觉得鱼还在吗？Zhìqiáng, nǐ juéde yú hái zài ma?Zhiqiang, do you think the fish are still there?
- 志强 Zhiqiang恐怕很难了。Kǒngpà hěn nán le.I'm afraid that's unlikely.
