Usage note
流表示液体流动，也可表示流出、流进。
liú biǎo shì yè tǐ liú dòng， yě kě biǎo shì liú chū 、 liú jìn。
Flow means liquid moves, and it can also mean flowing out or in.
Context note
流常出现在水、汗、河流和时间里。
liú cháng chū xiàn zài shuǐ 、 hàn 、 hé liú hé shí jiān lǐ。
Flow often appears with water, sweat, rivers, and time.
5 examples
水在流。
shuǐ zài liú。
Water is flowing.
汗流下来。
hàn liú xià lái。
Sweat flows down.
河水流得很快。
hé shuǐ liú dé hěn kuài。
The river water flows very fast.
眼泪流出来了。
yǎn lèi liú chū lái le。
Tears came out.
时间像水一样流走。
shí jiān xiàng shuǐ yí yàng liú zǒu。
Time flows away like water.
5 mini stories
河里的水一直在流。
hé lǐ de shuǐ yì zhí zài liú。
The water in the river keeps flowing.
天气太热，我额头上的汗一直在流。
tiān qì tài rè， wǒ é tóu shàng de hàn yì zhí zài liú。
It is too hot, and sweat keeps flowing on my forehead.
看到感人的故事，我的眼泪流了下来。
kàn dào gǎn rén de gù shì， wǒ de yǎn lèi liú le xià lái。
Seeing a touching story, my tears flowed down.
老师说时间会像河水一样流走。
lǎo shī shuō shí jiān huì xiàng hé shuǐ yí yàng liú zǒu。
The teacher said time will flow away like river water.
小溪里的水流得很慢。
xiǎo xī lǐ de shuǐ liú dé hěn màn。
The water in the stream flows very slowly.
Mini dialogue
关水龙头
A
听，水还在流呢。
Tīng, shuǐ hái zài liú ne.
Listen, the water is still flowing.
B
哎呀，我忘记关水龙头了。
Āiyā, wǒ wàngjì guān shuǐlóngtóu le.
Oh dear, I forgot to turn off the tap.
流汗
A
你脸上流了好多汗。
Nǐ liǎn shàng liú le hǎo duō hàn.
A lot of sweat is flowing down your face.
B
我刚跑完步，所以流汗了。
Wǒ gāng pǎo wán bù, suǒyǐ liú hàn le.
I just finished running, so I'm sweating.
Related words and contrasts
similar
淌
tǎng
to drip
Describes liquid flowing, often slowly.
related
河流
hé liú
river
A river is something that flows.
opposite
停
tíng
to stop
Opposite of flowing.