River, Large River
noun
The kanji and the word are exactly the same. That means they share meanings as well. 河 originally referred to the Yellow River in ancient China, so it's usually associated with very large rivers. 河 is a lot less common than 川, but you might still find it in literature, where it can emphasize the grand and powerful nature of a river or its cultural significance.
かわ
The reading is the same like the word 川 which has the same meaning. Associate the two to remember!
河の音が聞こえてきました。
I began to hear the sound of the river.
ついにあの大きな河に橋が掛かるそうだ。
Finally, a bridge has been built over that large river.
あの河はとても広いので、馬が泳いで渡るのは無理でしょう。
That river is very wide, so it would be impossible for horses to swim across.