When is a "river" not a "river".

What is a river? In my understanding a river was a wide stream of water, wider than a creek. Much wider. When I Googled the definition of river among the responses was this "a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)"

I'm not sure how to explain Chinese "rivers" but many I would describe as canals are actually in maps as rivers. When we stayed at Ningbo a few weeks ago, the hotel was described as being on a river. When I saw it - I saw that it was not a wide expanse of water I had expected, but what I would have called a "canal".

Are they man made or was there a natural waterway? That I do not know. When I looked at the map of Lu Xun's Native Place, I saw it surrounded by "rivers" which I found confusing. No wide expanse of water here.

These photos are of one of the rivers - which at best is 10 feet wide - not a "river" as I would know it, but here in China, that is a river.

In one photo you can see the old buildings with the "river" going through - and the other are Shaoxing boats, little wooden boats (sampan style) with black bamboo hoods that the boatmen propel with their bare feet, although in this cold maybe they put something warm on their feet!