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Kanji Detail for 流 - "flow, stream, current"

流

  • Meaning

    流 means "flow, stream, current."

    1. Flow - To move smoothly; to stream.

    2. Current - A body of moving water.

    3. Style - A manner; a school of thought.

  • Dictionary Citations

    The meaning above is based on the following sources:

    KANJIDIC2 A comprehensive Japanese-English kanji dictionary

    current; a sink; flow; forfeit

    Unihan Unicode Han Database for CJK characters

    flow, circulate, drift; class

    CC-CEDICT A Chinese-English dictionary

    to flow; to disseminate; to circulate or spread; to move or drift; to degenerate; to banish or send into exile; stream of water or sth resembling one; class, rate or grade

    Make Me a Hanzi Open-source Chinese character data

    to flow, to drift, to circulate; class

    XSZD Xuéshēng Zìdiǎn (學生字典) - Student's Dictionary

    Water flowing. Moving naturally. Hence, natural progression is also called 流行 (to be popular). | Water flowing branches into tributaries. All tributaries are called 流. Hence, all waters are collectively called 眾流 (many streams). | Becoming a separate faction and forming one's own system. As in scholarship being divided into nine schools: Confucianism, Taoism, Yin-Yang school, Legalism, School of Names, Mohism, Diplomatists, Eclectics, and Agriculturalists. These were the nine categories of philosophical schools in the Warring States period. | Distinguishing categories is also called 流. As in 清流 (pure stream), 濁流 (muddy stream), 上流 (upper class), 下流 (lower class). Officials were also divided into 流內 (within the ranks) and 流外 (outside the ranks). Those not yet ranked were called 未入流. | To rotate. Things that turn smoothly without stagnation are called 流. As in 流動 (flowing), 流轉 (circulating), 流利 (fluent). | Wandering without fixed direction is called 流. As in 漂流 (drifting), 流萿, refugees are called 流民, wandering beggars are called 流丐. All have this meaning. | To pass down successively. As water flows and passes on layer by layer, hence called 流. As in 流傳 (to pass down), 流播 (to spread), 流芳 (lasting fragrance), 流毒 (spreading poison). Unfounded words are called 流言 (rumors), also with this meaning, like saying hearsay. | Having the meaning of going without returning. As in "lingering and forgetting to return" (流連忘返). Hence, being without restraint is also called 流. The Doctrine of the Mean says: "Harmonious but not carried away" (和而不流). | The general trend. As water flows downhill, hence the prevailing customs of a time are called 流風 or 流俗. Having the meaning of endless circulation. As in 周流 (circulating everywhere), 輪流 (taking turns). | Movement is also called 流. As in 流光 (passing time), 流年 (fleeting years). | A type of old criminal punishment. Banishing someone to a distant place and not allowing them to return. As in "exile for three thousand li" (流三千里). In ancient times called 放流 (banishment). | Border regions. Within a thousand li of the capital is called 畿 (royal domain); beyond a thousand li is called 采 (fief) or 流. See Record of Rites. Hence, in old times in Miao territories and such, officials appointed by the court were called 流官 (regular officials), while hereditary local rulers were called 土司 (native chieftains). As in "converting native rule to regular administration" (改土歸流), meaning changing from the native chieftain system to the regular official system.
  • Onyomitip

    ru(る) る

    ryu(りゅ) りゅ

  • Kunyomitip

    naga.reru(ながれる) ながれる

    naga.su(ながす) ながす

  • Strokestip

    10 strokes

  • Radicaltip

    水 氵 氺 (mizu・sanzui・shitamizu)

  • Related Keywords
    flow stream current river drift float spread circulate style school lineage tradition manner trend fashion movement course passing fluid continuous

Sentences including 流

  • The boat drifted about on the sea.

  • She answered with tears.

  • The river flows slowly to the sea.

  • I read newspapers in order to keep up with the times.

  • I was moved to tears.

  • The song caught on with the public.

  • You speak fluent english.

  • She can speak french fluently.

  • He's a famous popular singer in japan.

  • As singers go , she is among the best in the country.

Sentences from Japanese classical masterpieces

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