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峽 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
峽xiágorge, ravine, strait; isthmusx, 10 strokes, radical 山
xiá(xia2) T2
  1. 1gorge, ravine, strait; isthmus
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March 24, 2026

峽xiá(xia2)

The character 峽 (xiá) refers to a narrow passage between hills or mountains, commonly translated as gorge or ravine. It can also denote a strait or isthmus, indicating a geographical feature that connects two larger bodies of water or land masses. This term is often used in geographical contexts and can describe both natural formations and man-made passages.

Strokes10Radical山
Cultural Note

Gorges and ravines are significant in Chinese culture, often celebrated in poetry and art. Famous locations like the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River embody the beauty and grandeur associated with 峽 in Chinese literature and tourism.

Memory Tip

Imagine two towering mountains (山) closing in on a river below, creating a narrow gorge (峽). The left part of the character, 峡, resembles these mountains, while the 'gorge' concept can help you remember the sound 'xiá'. Picture a daring adventurer navigating through this tight spot, making it a thrilling escape!

Meanings of 峽

xiá(xia2)
1gorge, ravine, strait; isthmus
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 峽

峽Simplified
10Strokes
山Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 峽

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Podcast: 峽

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AI Study Notes for 峽

Quick Contrast

峡 (xiá) vs 渡 (dù) — use 峽 for natural narrow passages between mountains, while 渡 refers to a crossing point or ferry.

Usage Notes

A common mistake is to confuse 峽 (gorge) with related terms like 河 (river) or 山 (mountain), which can lead to incorrect usage in geographical contexts. This character is more formal and may not be used in everyday conversation unless discussing geography or travel. Be mindful of the tone, as it is pronounced with a rising tone (second tone).

HSK Study Tips

Although 峽 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it can be useful for learners at HSK 4 and above, especially those interested in geography. Students should focus on recognizing it in context, particularly in phrases related to natural landscapes. Connecting it with other geographical terms can enhance retention.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 峽 with similar-sounding characters like 霞 (xiá, meaning 'rosy clouds'), leading to incorrect meanings. For example, saying '我喜欢这条峡' (Wǒ xǐhuān zhè tiáo xiá) when referring to a river instead of a gorge can lead to confusion.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 峽

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Jason Explains 峽 to You

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Etymology of 峽

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory Hint

The space between 夾 two mountains 山; 夾 also provides the pronunciation

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 峽?

Decomposition of 峽

IDS Structure⿰山夾
峽Full Character
=
山Shan1
left
夾jia1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 峽?

How to say gorge, ravine, strait; isthmus in Chinese

“gorge, ravine, strait; isthmus” in Chinese is峽xiá

The character 峽 (xiá) refers to a narrow passage between hills or mountains, commonly translated as gorge or ravine. It can also denote a strait or isthmus, indicating a geographical feature that connects two larger bodies of water or land masses. This term is often used in geographical contexts and can describe both natural formations and man-made passages.

When to use 峽

A common mistake is to confuse 峽 (gorge) with related terms like 河 (river) or 山 (mountain), which can lead to incorrect usage in geographical contexts. This character is more formal and may not be used in everyday conversation unless discussing geography or travel. Be mindful of the tone, as it is pronounced with a rising tone (second tone).

峽 or something close to it

峡 (xiá) vs 渡 (dù) — use 峽 for natural narrow passages between mountains, while 渡 refers to a crossing point or ferry.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 峽 with similar-sounding characters like 霞 (xiá, meaning 'rosy clouds'), leading to incorrect meanings. For example, saying '我喜欢这条峡' (Wǒ xǐhuān zhè tiáo xiá) when referring to a river instead of a gorge can lead to confusion.

Write 峽

峽

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

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Word Family of 峽

Words Containing This Character20
峡谷xiágǔcanyon峽谷
海峡hǎixiáchannel海峽
三峡Sanxia or Sanhsia town in New Taipei City 新北市[Xīn​běi​shì], Taiwan三峽
峡xiágorge峽
台湾海峡Taiwan Strait台灣海峽
大峡谷great valley大峽谷
英吉利海峡English Channel英吉利海峽
海峡群岛Channel Islands海峽群島
长江三峡Three Gorges or Yangtze Gorges, namely: Qutang Gorge 瞿塘峽|瞿塘峡[Qū​táng​Xiá], Wuxia Gorge 巫峽|巫峡[Wū​Xiá] and Xiling Gorge 西陵峽|西陵峡[Xī​líng​Xiá]長江三峽
三门峡Sanmenxia prefecture level city in Henan三門峽
白令海峡the Bering Strait (between Siberia and Alaska)白令海峽
马六甲海峡Strait of Malacca馬六甲海峽
霍尔木兹海峡Strait of Hormuz霍爾木茲海峽
山峡gorge山峽
琼州海峡Qiongzhou Strait (between Hainan Island and Mainland China)瓊州海峽
三门峡市Sanmenxia prefecture level city in Henan三門峽市
峡江Xiajiang county in Ji'an 吉安[Jí​'ān], Jiangxi峽江
巫峡Wuxia Gorge on the Changjiang or Yangtze, the middle of the Three Gorges 三峽|三峡[Sān​Xiá]巫峽
峡湾fjord峽灣
西峡Xixia county in Nanyang 南陽|南阳[Nán​yáng], Henan西峽
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 峽

What does 峡谷 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 峽

It is pronounced as 'xiá' with a rising tone.

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