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沔 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
沔miǎnflood; overflowingnrt, 7 strokes, radical 氵
沔miǎninundationunknown, 7 strokes, radical 氵
沔miǎnname of a riverunknown, 7 strokes, radical 氵
miǎn(mian3) T3
  1. 1flood; overflowing
  2. 2inundation
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March 24, 2026

沔miǎn(mian3)

The character 沔 (miǎn) primarily refers to a flood or inundation, indicating a state of overflowing water that can cause significant impact on the environment. It is also used as a name for certain rivers in China, highlighting its connection to large bodies of water. This term is often used in discussions about natural disasters or geographical features involving water.

Strokes7Radical氵
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, floods have historically been significant events, often associated with myths, legends, and historical narratives. The Yellow River, for instance, has been both a lifeline and a source of disaster, making terms like 沔 relevant in discussions about Chinese history and geography.

Memory Tip

Imagine a flood (水) overflowing (溢) a river (河). The character 沔 combines the water radical (氵) with the concept of overflowing, creating an image of a river bursting its banks. The pronunciation 'miǎn' sounds like 'man' who is trying to swim through the flood, linking the character’s meaning to its sound.

Meanings of 沔

miǎn(mian3)
1flood; overflowing
2inundation
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 沔

沔Simplified
7Strokes
氵Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 沔

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Podcast: 沔

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AI Study Notes for 沔

Usage Notes

Be cautious not to confuse 沔 with similar characters like 淡 (dàn) meaning 'light' or 'bland,' as they relate to different contexts. This word is more commonly used in formal contexts, particularly in literature or discussions about geography and natural events. Pay attention to the tone when pronouncing 'miǎn' to avoid misunderstanding.

HSK Study Tips

Though 沔 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, understanding it can enhance your knowledge of water-related terms. It connects with other HSK words related to nature and geography, such as 河 (hé, river) or 洪水 (hóngshuǐ, flood). Focus on recognizing the water radical (氵) in other related terms.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 沔 with 溶 (róng), which means 'to dissolve.' For example, saying '我想知道沔水' (I want to know about dissolved water) would be incorrect; instead, use '我想知道洪水' (I want to know about floods).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 沔

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Etymology of 沔

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

water

Semantic (meaning)氵
+
Phonetic (sound)丏
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 沔

  1. 1The meaning half氵 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half丏 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaywater
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 沔? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 沔?

Decomposition of 沔

IDS Structure⿰氵丏
沔Full Character
=
氵shui3
left
丏mian3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 沔?

How to say flood; overflowing in Chinese

“flood; overflowing” in Chinese is沔miǎn

The character 沔 (miǎn) primarily refers to a flood or inundation, indicating a state of overflowing water that can cause significant impact on the environment. It is also used as a name for certain rivers in China, highlighting its connection to large bodies of water. This term is often used in discussions about natural disasters or geographical features involving water.

When to use 沔

Be cautious not to confuse 沔 with similar characters like 淡 (dàn) meaning 'light' or 'bland,' as they relate to different contexts. This word is more commonly used in formal contexts, particularly in literature or discussions about geography and natural events. Pay attention to the tone when pronouncing 'miǎn' to avoid misunderstanding.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 沔 with 溶 (róng), which means 'to dissolve.' For example, saying '我想知道沔水' (I want to know about dissolved water) would be incorrect; instead, use '我想知道洪水' (I want to know about floods).

Write 沔

沔

Practice writing 沔 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 沔

Words Containing This Character1
沔miǎninundation
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 沔 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 沔

It is pronounced as 'miǎn', with a falling tone on the 'mian'.

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