Timeline for Why is the word "canal" called 运河 in Chinese?
Current License: CC BY-SA 3.0
8 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
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| Oct 1, 2017 at 1:14 | comment | added | cnwang09 | @Kevman If the length is taken into consideration, it looks like there is only one 运河 in China: The Grand Canal. All the rests are called 渠. | |
| Sep 29, 2017 at 16:55 | comment | added | Kevman | @cnwang09 2nd guess is the word "渠" has a longer history. "运河" is more modern word comparing "渠". Probably at that time, people thought they need a new word to describe the "渠" those in a big scale. Becuase nowadays 渠 seems like an ancient word to describe a canal. Nobody would call a canal "渠" anymore. | |
| Sep 29, 2017 at 16:53 | comment | added | Kevman | @cnwang09 I am not sure but I thought there are few reasons: 1. 灵渠 is a canal with "only" 36.4 KM, meanwhile, the Grand Canal is 1000+ KM long. And the Grand Canal consists of various 渠. You could check the wiki. These 渠 plus the main branch become the Grand Canal today. | |
| Sep 29, 2017 at 16:47 | comment | added | cnwang09 | @Kevman What confused me is 灵渠. I was told it was built under the command of the 1st emperor of China, for the purpose of transporting food to soldiers in south China. So clearly, "运河" is a better word to name this human-made channel, right? | |
| Sep 29, 2017 at 2:40 | comment | added | Kevman | @dan "运河" is one kind of "渠" logically. | |
| Sep 29, 2017 at 0:31 | comment | added | dan | What does it mean by "渠" is more like a superset of "运河"? | |
| Sep 29, 2017 at 0:27 | vote | accept | cnwang09 | ||
| Sep 28, 2017 at 20:35 | history | answered | Kevman | CC BY-SA 3.0 |