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Definition of yellow river
yellow river
yellow river Lexical Profile
CEFR
B1
Grade
6
Tier
2
Usage
Top 10k
• noun
1
A major river in northern China, the second-longest in the country, notable for its heavy load of yellowish-brown silt and historically recognized as the geographical and cultural cradle of ancient Chinese civilization.
Example
"The ancient settlements established along the banks of the Yellow River played a foundational role in early Chinese history."
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
A literal translation of the Chinese name 'Huang He' (黃河), so named for the ochre-yellow color of the muddy water in its lower course, which is caused by the heavy load of loess soil it carries.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Yellow river. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 14, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/yellow river