[[Characters]] #Characters \ #Natural-World \ #Landforms # 川 chuān river ## Components [[丿 (piě)]] [[丨 (gǔn)]] ## Meaning Today, the character "川" (chuān) is primarily used to refer to rivers. It can also be used as an abbreviation for Sichuan Province. ## History The character "川" originally represented flowing water, like a river. Over time, it also came to refer to flat land between mountains and plateaus. In its original form, it resembled a river with banks on both sides and a winding stream in the middle. Today, "川" is often used as an abbreviation for Sichuan Province. ## Evolution ### Oracular Script ![[川 chūan - ora.svg]] ### Bronze Script ![[川 chūan - bronce.svg]] ### Seal Script ![[川 chūan - sello.svg]] ### Clerical Script ![[川 chūan - cle.svg]] ### Regular Script ![[川 chūan - reg.svg]]