流
current · a sink · flow · forfeit
Details
Stroke Order
Component Breakdown
water + 㐬
Cultural Context
Etymology
Combines 'water' (氵) with 'flow' (㐬), depicting water flowing in a river. Means movement, change, and lineage.
Symbolism
Symbolizes flow, change, and passage of time. Represents the essence of life and culture that keeps changing without stopping.
Related Culture & Scenes
- — Garden with blooming flowers
Words & Expressions
Four-Character Compounds
流言飛語
りゅうげんひご
false rumour (rumor); groundless rumour; canard; false rumour (rumor)
行雲流水
こううんりゅうすい
(metaphorically) floating with the tide; (metaphorically) floating with the tide
三界流転
さんがいるてん
endless cycle of rebirth through the three worlds of past, present, and future existences; endless cycle of rebirth through the three worlds of past, present, and future existences
生々流転
せいせいるてん
all things being in flux through the endless circle of birth, death, and rebirth; the circle of transmigration; all things being in flux through the endless circle of birth, death, and rebirth
生死流転
しょうじるてん
all things being in flux through the endless circle of birth, death, and rebirth; the circle of transmigration; all things being in flux through the endless circle of birth, death, and rebirth
風流三昧
ふうりゅうざんまい
taking delight in elegant pursuits; being absorbed in such elegant cultural pursuits as poetry, painting and calligraphy; taking delight in elegant pursuits
枕流漱石
ちんりゅうそうせき
sore loser who stubbornly refuses to admit being wrong; sore loser who stubbornly refuses to admit being wrong
万物流転
ばんぶつるてん
all things are in a state of flux; everything is constantly changing; all things are in a state of flux
落花流水
らっかりゅうすい
mutual love; the love one shows to another person being returned; mutual love
流汗淋漓
りゅうかんりんり
profuse perspiration; dripping with sweat; profuse perspiration
流転輪廻
るてんりんね
all things being in flux through the endless circle of birth, death, and rebirth; the circle of transmigration; all things being in flux through the endless circle of birth, death, and rebirth
漱石枕流
そうせきちんりゅう
sore loser who stubbornly refuses to admit being wrong; sore loser who stubbornly refuses to admit being wrong
高山流水
こうざんりゅうすい
high mountains and running water; the beauty of nature; beautifully (skillfully) played music; high mountains and running water
風流韻事
ふうりゅういんじ
elegant appreciation of nature through artistic pursuits such as poetry, painting and calligraphy; elegant appreciation of nature through artistic pursuits such as poetry, painting and calligraphy
不易流行
ふえきりゅうこう
the principle of fluidity and immutability in haiku; haiku is both fluid and transitory, and eternal and immutable; an interchange between the transient and the immutable is central to the soul of haiku; the principle of fluidity and immutability in haiku
無手勝流
むてかつりゅう
winning without fighting; method used to win without fighting; one's own way of doing things (i.e. as different from that of one's instructor); winning without fighting
流連荒亡
りゅうれんこうぼう
spending all one's time in idle amusement away from home; being absorbed in self-indulgent pleasures; spending all one's time in idle amusement away from home
没風流漢
ぼつふうりゅうかん
prosaic person; person of an unromantic turn of mind; philistine; prosaic person
Poetry
みかの原 わきて流るる いづみ川 いつみきとてか 恋しかるらむ
Poem #27 from Hyakunin Isshu
山川に 風のかけたる しがらみは 流れもあへぬ 紅葉なりけり
Poem #32 from Hyakunin Isshu
滝の音は 絶えて久しく なりぬれど 名こそ流れて なほ聞こえけれ
Poem #55 from Hyakunin Isshu