渠 qú ditch
ditch; gutter; canal; channel
How to remember 渠: 氵 water + 巨 huge + 木 tree = ditch. After the storm, water rushes down the lane, and a huge branch from the old tree ends up stuck in the ditch.
Component breakdown
渠 = 洰 + 木 tree
- 洰
- 氵 water
- 巨 huge
- 木 tree
After the storm, water rushes down the lane, and a huge branch from the old tree ends up stuck in the ditch.
How it is used
- A ditch/canal/channel - 水渠 (shuǐqú) an irrigation channel, 沟渠 (gōuqú) ditches.
- Most useful in 渠道 (qúdào), which figuratively means a channel/avenue: 销售渠道 (xiāoshòu qúdào) sales channels, 通过正规渠道 through proper channels.
- 渠道 is the everyday abstract 'channel/route to obtain something,' far more common than the literal ditch.
- 水到渠成 (shuǐdào-qúchéng) = when conditions are ripe, success comes naturally.