峽 meaning and stroke order
Gorge, ravine, strait; isthmus
How to write 峽, stroke by stroke
10 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 峽
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- gorge
How 峽 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. The space between 夾 two mountains 山; 夾 also provides the pronunciation.
Radical: 山 (mountain), shared by 111 characters on this site.
How to remember 峽
峽 puts 山 (shān, mountain) next to 夾 (jiā, to squeeze between). Picture a narrow passage squeezed between mountains, and you have a gorge. 夾 also hints at the sound xiá.
峽 rarely appears alone and usually shows up in compound words for narrow landforms or waterways. Common words are 峽谷 (xiágǔ, canyon) and 海峽 (hǎixiá, strait). Example: 台灣海峽很有名。(Táiwān Hǎixiá hěn yǒumíng.) The Taiwan Strait is very famous.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 峽 (xiá) with 狹 (xiá, narrow) because they share 夾 and the same pronunciation. Use 山 for landforms like gorges and 犭 for the adjective 狹窄 (xiázhǎi, narrow). Also say xiá with a rising second tone, not jiā like the component.
Common words with 峽
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
Questions about 峽
How many strokes are in 峽?
峽 is written with 10 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 峽 mean?
峽 (xiá) means gorge, ravine, strait; isthmus. A common word with it is 峡谷 (xiágǔ), meaning "canyon; gill".
How do you pronounce 峽?
峽 is pronounced xiá, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 峽?
The radical of 峽 is 山, which carries the idea of "mountain". Dictionaries list 峽 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 峽?
峽 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 峡, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the simplified form of 峽 used in mainland China?
In simplified Chinese it is written 峡, with 夹 replacing 夾. The meaning and pronunciation xiá stay the same, so 海峽 becomes 海峡.
Where can I see 峽 in famous place names?
It appears in 長江三峽 (Chángjiāng Sānxiá), the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River. It also appears in 台灣海峽 (Táiwān Hǎixiá), the Taiwan Strait.