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岳 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
岳yuèsurname YueHSK 7, nr, 8 strokes, radical 山, rank #21664, Hard
岳yuèwife's parents and paternal unclesHSK 7, nr, 8 strokes, radical 山, rank #21664, Hard
岳yuèhigh mountainHSK 7, nr, 8 strokes, radical 山, rank #21664, Hard
岳yuèhighest peak of a mountain ridgeHSK 7, nr, 8 strokes, radical 山, rank #21664, Hard
岳yuèmountain peak; surnameHSK 7, nr, 8 strokes, radical 山, rank #21664, Hard
yuè(Yue4) T4
  1. 1wife's parents and paternal uncles
  2. 2high mountain
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
岳(嶽)yuè(Yue4)

The character 岳 (yuè) primarily refers to a high mountain or the peak of a mountain, often symbolizing elevation and grandeur. In certain contexts, it can also denote the wife's parents or paternal uncles, making it significant in family-related discussions. It is commonly used in geographical names and expressions related to mountains.

Strokes8Radical山Frequency#21664DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, mountains are often associated with strength and stability, and 岳 is frequently found in the names of important mountains, such as 岳阳楼 (Yueyang Tower). This highlights the cultural reverence for nature and the mountains' place in traditional stories and poems.

Memory Tip

Imagine a towering mountain peak (岳) that looms over everything, representing both height and importance. Think of the character as a combination of the radical for mountain (山) at the bottom, suggesting its meaning, and the top part resembling a person looking up towards the peak, reminding you of its pronunciation 'yuè'.

Meanings of 岳

yuè(Yue4)
1wife's parents and paternal uncles
2high mountain
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 岳

岳Simplified
嶽Traditional
8Strokes
山Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#21664Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7

Podcast: 岳

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Podcast: 岳

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AI Study Notes for 岳

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a towering mountain peak (岳) that looms over everything, representing both height and importance. Think of the character as a combination of the radical for mountain (山) at the bottom, suggesting its meaning, and the top part resembling a person looking up towards the peak, reminding you of its pronunciation 'yuè'.

Usage Notes

岳 is often used in formal contexts, especially in geographical names and discussions about nature. Common collocations include 岳父 (father-in-law) and 岳母 (mother-in-law), which can lead to confusion for learners. Be cautious with tone, as mispronouncing the tone can change meanings.

HSK Study Tips

Though 岳 is not included in the HSK levels, it connects to other nature-related words at this level. Students should focus on recognizing its usage in family terms as well as its application in geographical contexts, enhancing their vocabulary on both topics.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, mountains are often associated with strength and stability, and 岳 is frequently found in the names of important mountains, such as 岳阳楼 (Yueyang Tower). This highlights the cultural reverence for nature and the mountains' place in traditional stories and poems.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 岳 with similar sounding words like 约 (yuē), which means 'to arrange' or 'to invite'. A common mistake is to say 岳母 as 'yuē mǔ', which is incorrect; it should be pronounced as 'yuè mǔ'.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 岳

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Etymology of 岳

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

A mountain 山 range surrounded by hills 丘

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 岳?

Decomposition of 岳

IDS Structure⿱丘山
岳Full Character
=
丘Qiu1
top
山Shan1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 岳?

Write 岳

岳

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

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Grammar Patterns of 岳

岳 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 5 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

苏小姐看他一眼道: “ 是不是方先生____家开的银行?

Eyeing him, she asked , " Isn't the bank run by your father - in - law?

Example Sentences for 岳 (5)

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1
苏小姐看他一眼道: “ 是不是方先生岳家开的银行?

sū xiǎo jiě kàn tā yī yǎn dào:“ : “ shì bù shì fāng xiān shēng yuè jiā kāi de yín?

Eyeing him, she asked , " Isn't the bank run by your father - in - law?
2
岳春河,1971年生人, 原北京同仁医院外科医师.

yuè chūn hé,1971 ,1971 nián shēng, rén , yuán běi jīng tóng rén yī yuàn wài kē.

Yue Chunhe , born in 1971, former surgeon of Beijing Tong Ren Hospital.
3
岳父的猝死使他十分伤心。

yuè fù de cù sǐ shǐ tā shí fēn shāng xīn。

He had been deeply affected by the sudden death of his father-in-law.
4
屠维岳 把胸脯更挺得直些,微微冷笑.

tú wéi yuè bǎ xiōng fǔ gēng tǐng dé zhí, xiē , wēi wēi.

Tu Wei - yueh merely drew himself up and smiled sardonically.
5
岳飞字鹏举.

yuè fēi zì péng jǔ.

Yue Fei styled himself Pengju.

Cultural Notes for 岳

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, mountains are often associated with strength and stability, and 岳 is frequently found in the names of important mountains, such as 岳阳楼 (Yueyang Tower). This highlights the cultural reverence for nature and the mountains' place in traditional stories and poems.

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

In Western cultures, mountains are often seen primarily as challenges for adventure, while in Chinese culture, they embody stability and respect, often linked to family and heritage.

Word Family of 岳

Compounds1
捳
Words Containing This Character20
岳父yuèfùwife's father, father-in-law
岳yuèhigh mountain嶽
岳母yuèmǔwife's mother, mother-in-law
岳阳Yueyang prefecture-level city in Hunan岳陽
岳飞Yue Fei (1103-1142), Song dynasty patriot and general岳飛
五岳Five Sacred Mountains of the Daoists, namely: Mt Tai 泰山[Tài​Shān] in Shandong, Mt Hua 華山|华山[Huà​Shān] in Shaanxi, Mt Heng 衡山[Héng​Shān] in Hunan, Mt Heng 恆山|恒山[Héng​Shān] in Shanxi, Mt Song 嵩山[Sōng​Shān] in Henan五嶽
潘岳Pan Yue (247-300), later known as 潘安[Pān​An], famous handsome and elegant writer from the Western Jin dynasty
南岳Nanyue district of Hengyang city 衡陽市|衡阳市[Héng​yáng​shì], Hunan南嶽
东岳Mt Tai 泰山 in Shandong, one of the Five Sacred Mountains 五嶽|五岳[Wǔ​yuè]東嶽
岳阳市Yueyang prefecture level city in Hunan岳陽市
岳麓山Mt Yuelu in Changsha 長沙|长沙[Cháng​shā], famous for scenery, temples and tombs
山岳mountain山嶽
岳阳楼Yueyang Tower, famous beauty spot in Yueyang, north Hunan, overlooking Dongting Lake 洞庭湖[Dòng​tíng​Hú]岳陽樓
岳麓区Yuelu district of Changsha city 長沙市|长沙市[Cháng​shā​shì], Hunan嶽麓區
西岳Mt Hua 華山|华山 in Shaanxi, one of the Five Sacred Mountains 五嶽|五岳[Wǔ​yuè]西嶽
岳家wife's parents' home
雪岳山Seoraksan, mountain near Sokcho, South Korea雪嶽山
中岳Mt Song 嵩山 in Henan, one of the Five Sacred Mountains 五嶽|五岳[Wǔ​yuè]中嶽
北岳Mt Heng 恆山|恒山[Héng​Shān] in Shanxi, one of the Five Sacred Mountains 五嶽|五岳[Wǔ​yuè]北嶽
岳阳县Yueyang county in Yueyang 岳陽|岳阳[Yuè​yáng], Hunan岳陽縣
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 岳父 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 岳

岳 is used to refer to high mountains and is also a term for in-laws in family contexts.