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March 24, 2026
陘xíng(xing2)
The character 陘 (xíng) refers to a defile or gorge, typically a narrow passage through mountains. It is often used in geographical contexts to describe natural formations where valleys or mountains create a restricted pathway. This term can also imply a sense of difficulty or challenge associated with traversing such terrain.
Strokes9Radical阝Frequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, mountainous regions are often associated with poetry and philosophical reflection, making terms like 陘 significant in literature. Many famous Chinese poems reference gorges and passes, symbolizing challenges in life.
Memory Tip
Think of 陘 (xíng) as a mountain pass where two mountain peaks (the 'mountain' radical 山) are squeezing together to create a narrow pathway. Imagine trying to navigate through a tight gorge, and you can remember that 'xíng' sounds like 'squeeze' to help you recall its meaning.
Meanings of 陘
xíng(xing2)
1defile, gorge, mountain pass
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 陘
陘Simplified
9Strokes
阝Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 陘
Podcast: 陘
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AI Study Notes for 陘
Memory Mnemonic
Think of 陘 (xíng) as a mountain pass where two mountain peaks (the 'mountain' radical 山) are squeezing together to create a narrow pathway. Imagine trying to navigate through a tight gorge, and you can remember that 'xíng' sounds like 'squeeze' to help you recall its meaning.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 陘 with similar characters like 峡 (xiá), which also refers to gorges but can imply a different kind of passage. This character is more formal and specific, so it is rarely used in everyday conversation but might appear in literary or geographical texts.
HSK Study Tips
Although 陘 is not a part of the HSK vocabulary list, understanding it can enhance your comprehension of texts that describe landscapes. Focus on recognizing how it relates to other words about mountains (如山, shān) or paths (如路, lù) to build your vocabulary contextually.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, mountainous regions are often associated with poetry and philosophical reflection, making terms like 陘 significant in literature. Many famous Chinese poems reference gorges and passes, symbolizing challenges in life.
Common Mistakes
Learners may confuse 陘 (xíng) with 通 (tōng), which means to pass through or communicate. For example, saying '我想通陘' (I want to pass through the defile) is incorrect; the correct phrase would be '我想穿过陘'.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 陘
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Cultural Notes for 陘
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, mountainous regions are often associated with poetry and philosophical reflection, making terms like 陘 significant in literature. Many famous Chinese poems reference gorges and passes, symbolizing challenges in life.
Word Family of 陘
Words Containing This Character5
井陉Jingxing county in Shijiazhuang 石家莊|石家庄[Shíjiāzhuāng], Hebei井陘
井陉县Jingxing county in Shijiazhuang 石家莊|石家庄[Shíjiāzhuāng], Hebei井陘縣
陉xíngdefile陘
井陉矿区Jingxingkuang District of Shijiazhuang City 石家莊市|石家庄市[ShíjiāzhuāngShì], Hebei井陘礦區
井陉矿Jingxingkuang District of Shijiazhuang City 石家莊市|石家庄市[ShíjiāzhuāngShì], Hebei井陘礦
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 井陉 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 陘
It means a defile or gorge, referring to a narrow passage through mountains.
It is often used in geographical descriptions or literary contexts to evoke imagery of mountainous terrain.
No, it is more likely to be found in written texts rather than in everyday speech.
