‘浅滩’ (qiǎn tān) literally combines ‘浅’ (shallow) and ‘滩’ (beach, sandbank), referring to a stretch of shallow water over a submerged sandbar or rocky ledge — typically found near coastlines, river mouths, or lakeshores. It’s a geographical term used in navigation, ecology, and environmental science to describe areas where water depth is too low for larger vessels but often rich in aquatic life.

This word emphasizes both physical shallowness and the sandy or gravelly substrate beneath. Unlike general terms for ‘shallow water’ (e.g., 浅水), ‘浅滩’ implies a distinct, localized feature — often visible at low tide or marked on nautical charts. It frequently appears in contexts involving marine safety (e.g., grounding risks), habitat conservation (e.g., fish spawning grounds), or field descriptions in geography or hydrology.