(すいろ)

すいろ
noun
waterway; canal
1. waterway; canal; water channel
A natural or man-made channel through which water flows. Includes irrigation channels, drainage ditches, canals, and navigable waterways.
水路(すいろ)沿()って(ある)いた。
I walked along the waterway.
農業(のうぎょう)(よう)水路(すいろ)()んぼに(みず)供給(きょうきゅう)している。
Agricultural waterways supply water to the rice paddies.
この(まち)には江戸時代(えどじだい)(つく)られた水路(すいろ)(いま)(のこ)っている。
Waterways built in the Edo period still remain in this town.

USAGE:
水路(すいろ) is a general term covering both natural and artificial water channels. Compare with 運河(うんが) (canal), which specifically refers to large man-made waterways for navigation or transport, and 用水路(ようすいろ) (irrigation channel), which is specifically for agricultural water supply. 水路(すいろ) can refer to any of these.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 水路(すいろ)(ひら)く: to open a waterway
  • 水路(すいろ)整備(せいび)する: to maintain waterways
  • 農業(のうぎょう)(よう)水路(すいろ): agricultural waterway
  • 水路(すいろ)(): nautical chart