巅 meaning and stroke order
Mountain peak, mountain top
How to write 巅, stroke by stroke
19 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 巅
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- summit
How 巅 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. The top 颠 of a mountain 山; 颠 also provides the pronunciation.
Radical: 山 (mountain), shared by 111 characters on this site.
How to remember 巅
Picture a mountain 山 (shān) sitting on top of 颠 (diān), which means the top. Together they show the very top of a mountain, and 颠 also gives the sound diān.
巅 is mostly used in written or formal Chinese and almost always appears in set words like 巅峰 (diānfēng, summit, peak) or 山巅 (shāndiān, mountain top). 巅峰 is often used figuratively for the high point of a career or performance. Example: 他正处在事业的巅峰。(Tā zhèng chǔ zài shìyè de diānfēng.) He is at the peak of his career.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 巅 with 颠 (diān), which has the same sound but means to jolt or be upside down, as in 颠倒 (diāndǎo). If the meaning is a mountain top or peak, use the version with 山 on top.
Common words with 巅
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 巅峰 | diānfēng | summit; apex | HSK 7-9 |
巅 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 巅
How many strokes are in 巅?
巅 is written with 19 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 巅 mean?
巅 (diān) means mountain peak, mountain top. A common word with it is 巅峰 (diānfēng), meaning "summit; apex".
How do you pronounce 巅?
巅 is pronounced diān, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 巅?
The radical of 巅 is 山, which carries the idea of "mountain". Dictionaries list 巅 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 巅?
The traditional form of 巅 is 巔. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 巅 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 巅 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 巅 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 巅峰 and 顶峰?
Both mean summit or peak and both work figuratively. 顶峰 (dǐngfēng) is a bit more common in everyday speech, while 巅峰 sounds more literary and dramatic.
Can 巅 be used on its own as a word?
Rarely. In modern Chinese it almost always appears inside words like 巅峰 or 山巅. Using it alone sounds poetic or classical.