also: かわどこ · かわゆか
noun
Only with reading かしょう / かわどこ
Geographical term for the bottom of a river. Typically read かしょう in technical contexts; かわどこ is a less common reading.
河床の砂利を調査する。
Survey the gravel of the riverbed.
夏になると鴨川の川床で食事を楽しむ人が多い。
In summer, many people enjoy dining on the kawadoko along the Kamogawa River.
Common spelling for the riverside dining platform, read かわどこ or かわゆか.
Alternate reading for the riverside platform; かわどこ is more common.
河原 refers to the dry riverbank or riverside area, while 河床 is specifically the underwater riverbed.
河 (river) + 床 (bed/floor). The reading かしょう is the on'yomi compound; かわどこ and かわゆか mix kun'yomi and on'yomi. The riverside platform sense derives from the idea of a 'river floor' extended to a man-made structure.