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垴 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
垴nǎosmall hillock, used in place namesg, 9 strokes, radical 土
垴nǎosmall hillunknown, 9 strokes, radical 土
垴nǎoused in geographic namesunknown, 9 strokes, radical 土
nǎo(nao3) T3
  1. 1small hillock, used in place names
  2. 2small hill
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

垴(堖)nǎo(nao3)

The character 垴 (nǎo) refers to a small hillock or mound, often used in geographic names within China. It conveys a sense of a minor elevation in the landscape, distinguishing it from larger hills or mountains.

Strokes9Radical土
Cultural Note

The character 垴 is often found in the names of rural areas in China, reflecting the significance of natural features in Chinese culture and geography. Many small towns or villages may use this character to signify their location in relation to the landscape.

Memory Tip

Imagine a tiny hillock where a small gnome (like 'nǎo' sounds) lives. The gnome's home is on this little hill, making it a cozy and memorable spot. The character 垴 combines the earth radical 土, representing land, with the sound component that helps you remember its pronunciation.

Meanings of 垴

nǎo(nao3)
1small hillock, used in place names
2small hill
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 垴

垴Simplified
堖Traditional
9Strokes
土Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 垴

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Podcast: 垴

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AI Study Notes for 垴

Usage Notes

While 垴 is not commonly used in everyday conversation, it often appears in place names, so it's vital to recognize this character in geographic contexts. Be mindful of the pronunciation, as misplacing the tone can lead to confusion with other characters.

HSK Study Tips

Although 垴 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, understanding it can enhance your grasp of Chinese geography-related terms. Focus on recognizing this character in maps and place names to build contextual understanding.

Common Mistakes

Learners may confuse 垴 with similar characters like 山 (shān), which means mountain. For example, saying '我住在一个垴' (wǒ zhù zài yīgè nǎo) instead of '我住在一个山' (wǒ zhù zài yīgè shān) could lead to misleading descriptions of location.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 垴

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Etymology of 垴

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

earth

Semantic (meaning)土
+
Phonetic (sound)凶
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 垴

  1. 1The meaning half土 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half凶 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayearth
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 垴? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 垴?

Decomposition of 垴

IDS Structure⿰土⿱亠凶
垴Full Character
=
土Tu3
left
亠tou2
top
凶xiong1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 3

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 垴?

How to say small hillock, used in place names in Chinese

“small hillock, used in place names” in Chinese is垴nǎo

The character 垴 (nǎo) refers to a small hillock or mound, often used in geographic names within China. It conveys a sense of a minor elevation in the landscape, distinguishing it from larger hills or mountains.

When to use 垴

While 垴 is not commonly used in everyday conversation, it often appears in place names, so it's vital to recognize this character in geographic contexts. Be mindful of the pronunciation, as misplacing the tone can lead to confusion with other characters.

What learners get wrong

Learners may confuse 垴 with similar characters like 山 (shān), which means mountain. For example, saying '我住在一个垴' (wǒ zhù zài yīgè nǎo) instead of '我住在一个山' (wǒ zhù zài yīgè shān) could lead to misleading descriptions of location.

Write 垴

垴

Practice writing 垴 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 垴

Words Containing This Character1
垴nǎosmall hill堖
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 垴 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 垴

No, 垴 is primarily found in geographic names rather than everyday speech.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 垴?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.