Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
海湾(海灣)hǎiwān(Hai3wan1)
海湾 refers to a body of water partially enclosed by land but with a wide opening to the sea. It is commonly used in geographical contexts to describe coastal features and can also be found in discussions related to marine navigation or ecology.
Frequency#6511DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In China, coastal areas with notable bays such as the Bohai Bay are important for fishing and shipping industries, illustrating the significance of water bodies in economic activities and cultural practices.
Memory Tip
Imagine a big 'H' for '海' (sea) and a 'W' for '湾' (bay) with waves lapping at the shore. Picture a serene bay where the sea meets the land, and remember that the pronunciation 'hai' sounds like 'high' as you think of the high tide flowing into the bay.
Meanings of 海湾
hǎiwān(Hai3wan1)
1(Persian) Gulf
2gulf (body of water)
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 海湾
海湾Simplified
海灣Traditional
—Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRC1
Podcast: 海湾
Podcast: 海湾
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI Study Notes for 海湾
Quick Contrast
海港 (harbor) - use 海湾 for a wider inlet, while 海港 refers specifically to a port area for ships.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a big 'H' for '海' (sea) and a 'W' for '湾' (bay) with waves lapping at the shore. Picture a serene bay where the sea meets the land, and remember that the pronunciation 'hai' sounds like 'high' as you think of the high tide flowing into the bay.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 海湾 with related terms like 海岸 (coast) or 湾区 (bay area) which have slightly different meanings. The term is neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, but it's especially common in academic or geographical discussions.
HSK Study Tips
While 海湾 is not part of the HSK curriculum, it connects well with other HSK Level 3 words related to nature and geography, such as 河 (river) and 湖 (lake). Focus on recognizing the component characters and their meanings to enhance vocabulary retention.
Cultural Note
In China, coastal areas with notable bays such as the Bohai Bay are important for fishing and shipping industries, illustrating the significance of water bodies in economic activities and cultural practices.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mix up 海湾 with the word 湾区 (bay area) and use them interchangeably. For example, saying '我住在海湾' (I live in the bay) instead of '我住在湾区' (I live in the bay area) can lead to confusion about location specifics.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 海湾
Premium — Locked
AI tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 海湾 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 海湾 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Write correctly 3 times to earn XP
Cultural Notes for 海湾
🏮Cultural insight
In China, coastal areas with notable bays such as the Bohai Bay are important for fishing and shipping industries, illustrating the significance of water bodies in economic activities and cultural practices.
Frequently Asked Questions about 海湾
海湾 (hǎi wān) refers specifically to a bay or gulf, while 海洋 (hǎi yáng) means 'ocean.' 海湾 is smaller and usually bordered by land, whereas 海洋 denotes larger bodies of saltwater. Understanding the context will help in using these terms correctly.
Some famous 海湾 include the San Francisco Bay and the Bay of Biscay. In China, notable examples are the Bohai Bay and the Hangzhou Bay. These locations are often important for trade and tourism.
You can use 海湾 in a sentence to describe locations or features, such as '这个海湾非常美丽' (This bay is very beautiful). It can also be used in discussions about geography, marine life, or travel.
海湾 (hǎi wān) translates to 'gulf' or 'bay' in English. It refers to a body of water partially enclosed by land, typically larger than a cove but smaller than a sea. This term is commonly used in geographical contexts.
It is pronounced as 'hǎi wān', with the third tone on '海' and the first tone on '湾'.
海湾 refers specifically to a bay or gulf, while 海岸 means coast or shoreline.
No, 海湾 specifically describes a bay; for other bodies of water, different terms like 湖 (lake) or 河 (river) should be used.
