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阝 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
阝yìplace, town, cityzg, 2 strokes, radical 阝
yì(yi4) T4
  1. 1place, town, city
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

阝yì(yi4)

The character 阝 (yì) is a variant form of the character 邑, meaning 'place,' 'town,' or 'city.' It is often used as a radical in other characters related to geographical locations, indicating a sense of settlement or urban area.

Strokes2Radical阝
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, the concept of a town or city often reflects the importance of community and local governance, which can be traced back to ancient city-states. Towns were centers of commerce and culture, playing significant roles in Chinese history.

Memory Tip

Imagine 阝 as a small hill or mound representing a town. The two sides of the character can be visualized as the boundaries of a city, with people and homes nestled within. Pronounce it 'yì' like 'yeet' to remember that it signifies a significant place.

Meanings of 阝

yì(yi4)
1place, town, city
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

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About 阝

阝Simplified
2Strokes
阝Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 阝

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Podcast: 阝

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AI Study Notes for 阝

Usage Notes

This character is more commonly seen as a component in other characters rather than used alone. Be cautious not to confuse it with similar-looking characters; it usually appears in formal contexts related to geography. Common collocations include '城市' (chéngshì) meaning 'city' and '地区' (dìqū) meaning 'region.'

HSK Study Tips

While 阝 is not listed as an HSK level word, it appears in HSK vocabulary such as '都市' (dūshì - metropolis). Students should focus on recognizing it as a radical to help decipher meanings of related characters.

Common Mistakes

Learners might mistakenly write 阝 as 亻 (the person radical), which is unrelated. Remember, 阝 indicates geographical areas, while 亻 pertains to people.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 阝

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Etymology of 阝

Explanation

阝 is a component form of 阜.

Learn more about character formation (六书)

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 阝

阝 is a component form of 阜.

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

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Decomposition of 阝

IDS Structure⿻丨?
阝Full Character
=
丨gun3
outer
Exercise 1 of 1

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 阝?

How to say place, town, city in Chinese

“place, town, city” in Chinese is阝yì

The character 阝 (yì) is a variant form of the character 邑, meaning 'place,' 'town,' or 'city.' It is often used as a radical in other characters related to geographical locations, indicating a sense of settlement or urban area.

When to use 阝

This character is more commonly seen as a component in other characters rather than used alone. Be cautious not to confuse it with similar-looking characters; it usually appears in formal contexts related to geography. Common collocations include '城市' (chéngshì) meaning 'city' and '地区' (dìqū) meaning 'region.'

What learners get wrong

Learners might mistakenly write 阝 as 亻 (the person radical), which is unrelated. Remember, 阝 indicates geographical areas, while 亻 pertains to people.

Write 阝

阝

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

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Word Family of 阝

Words Containing This Character1
阝yìmound
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 阝 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 阝

Yes, it is primarily used as a radical in more complex characters related to places.

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