本文融合地理學、語言學與歷史學的科際整合研究途徑，針對臺、閩、粵閩客族群之河流通名：江、河、溪、港、川、水、嵙、窠、坑、溝等的語源進行討論，並探究這些河流通名在臺、閩、粵之閩語區與客語區的空間分布特色及其形成之因果關係，提出學理與文獻的論證。本文透過閩、粵分省地圖冊中擷取相關的河流地名資料，進行歸納與統計分析。研究結果如下：不論以福、廣省別或閩、客方言區區分，高等級河流通名均以「江」占明顯優勢；低等級河流通名，在閩方言區以「溪」占明顯優勢，在閩西南客方言區仍則「溪」佔優勢，但河的比例高過閩、粵之閩方言區甚多，在粵東客方言區則以「河」佔明顯優勢。在臺灣，絕大多數的河流通名為「溪」，少數以「河」為通名的高等級河流，如淡水河、基隆河，是在19世紀末到20世紀初期由「溪」轉換為「河」；研究證據顯示，客家語習慣於以「河」為河流通名。此外，「港」、「坑」、「溝」，以及原鄉特定區域使用之特殊客式河流通名，如「嵙」、「窠」，移植到臺灣卻已逐漸丟失其意，為強化作為「溪流」的語意，而以疊加或替換「溪」作為河流通名。不論在中國福建與粵東，或是在臺灣，地圖上使用的河流通名，主要是受不同族群對河流稱呼的慣用詞影響，而此慣用詞又與各自語言形成過程的歷時演變、區域開發過程與移民祖籍的地緣性有密切關聯性。此外，掌握地名命名權的當權者使用的語言歸屬也是關鍵。本文同時希望能藉此研究成果，導正部分中、小學地理教學中認為的「『溪』和『河』的稱呼，常是河流流量穩定性作為區別標準」積非成是的說法。

This study use interdisciplinary approach to integrate geography, linguistics and history, and focus on differences in general river name between the Hakka and Min ethnic groups in Taiwan, Fujian and Eastern Guangdong. The general names of river include: Jiang (江), he (河), xi (溪), gang (港), chuan (川), shui (水), ke (嵙), ke (窠), keng (坑), gou (溝) and so on. This study aims to discuss the etymology of those general names and explore the characteristics of spatial distribution in the Hakka and Min dialect regions of Taiwan, Fujian and Eastern Guangdong. We also want to know the causality of the shaping spatial distribution and present theoretical arguments and documents. This article focuses on rivers to retrieve place names information through the Fujian and Guangdong provincial atlas, and conduct a statistical analysis. From these research results, whether in the Guangdong or Fujian Provinces, or in the Hakka and Min dialect regions, the general name of high-grade rivers is mostly named “Jiang (江)”. The low-grade rivers in Min dialect region is mostly named “xi (溪)”. The Hakka dialect region in southwestern Fujian is still “xi (溪)” dominant, but in eastern Guangdong Hakka dialect region is “he (河)” predominance. In Taiwan, the vast majority of the general river names are “xi (溪)”. Some use “he (河)” for high-grade rivers, such as Tamsui River and Keelung River. In the late 19th century to the early 20th century “xi (溪)” converted to “he (河)”. Research shows Hakka are accustomed to “he (河)” as general river name. In addition, general names such as “gang (港)”, “keng (坑)”, “gou (溝)”, “ke (嵙)”, “ke (窠)”, are gradually losing their original meaning, and are being superimposed or replaced by “xi (溪)” as a general name. Both in Fujian, Eastern Guangdong, or in Taiwan, the general river names marked on the maps are mainly due to the customary terms of different ethnic groups naming that river. On the other hand, the customary terms closely link the formation of processes and their diachronic evolution of language, regional development and immigration ancestral home of geopolitical association. In addition, the mother tongues of rulers are also a sticking point. This paper also hopes to guide elementary school and high school in correctly learning general river names in Taiwan.