水力發電的 / 水力发电的
shuǐlì fādiàn de
The English word hydroelectric is translated into Chinese as 水力發電的 / 水力发电的 (shuǐlì fādiàn de). If unsure, use 水力發電的 / 水力发电的. Wiktionary also lists 水電的 / 水电的 (shuǐdiàn de).
Meaning: that generates electricity by converting the energy of moving water (adj)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 水力發電的 / 水力发电的 | shuǐlì fādiàn de |
| 水電的 / 水电的 | shuǐdiàn de |
Both forms are used to describe something that generates electricity by converting the energy of moving water.
What does it mean word for word?
In the term 水力發電的 / 水力发电的, the part 水力 (shuǐlì) literally means 'water power' or 'hydraulic power'.
Which one should you use?
The form 水力發電的 / 水力发电的 is more formal and technical, often used in scientific or official contexts, whereas 水電的 / 水电的 is a common shorthand.
How do you pronounce it?
shuǐlì fādiàn de
Did you know?
- The character 電 (diàn) originally referred to 'lightning', meaning that 'hydroelectric' literally describes the process of using water to create artificial lightning.
- The simplified character 电 used in mainland China removes the 'rain' radical found in the traditional 電, stripping away the visual link between electricity and weather.
- The shorthand 水電 / 水电 (shuǐdiàn) can also mean 'water and electricity', often referring to the essential utilities provided to a home or building.
Examples in context
- 最近我了解了一些关于水力发电的知识。I recently learned about hydroelectric power.
- 水电站位于长江上。The hydroelectric power station is located on the Yangtze River.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hydroelectric” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
