Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
堙 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
堙yīnto bury; to dam, to block up; moundzg, 12 strokes, radical 土
堙yīnburyunknown, 12 strokes, radical 土
堙yīncloseunknown, 12 strokes, radical 土
yīn(yin1) T1
  1. 1to bury; to dam, to block up; mound
  2. 2bury
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

堙yīn(yin1)

The character 堙 (yīn) primarily means to bury or to block up, often in the context of creating a dam or mound. It can also refer to the act of closing off something, whether physically or metaphorically. This character is commonly used in construction or environmental contexts.

Strokes12Radical土
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of damming rivers and creating mounds is tied to historical practices of agriculture and flood control, reflecting the importance of water management in ancient Chinese society.

Memory Tip

Imagine a giant mound (堙) made from the earth that is burying everything beneath it. The character consists of the 'earth' radical 土 on the bottom, which relates to the action of burying, combined with the 'hidden' element in the upper part, suggesting something that is concealed or blocked up.

Meanings of 堙

yīn(yin1)
1to bury; to dam, to block up; mound
2bury
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 堙

堙Simplified
12Strokes
土Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 堙

JasonAmy

Podcast: 堙

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 堙

Usage Notes

Be cautious of the tone when pronouncing 堙, as it is pronounced with a high-level tone (yin). This character is more formal and is often found in written Chinese, especially in texts related to engineering or environmental studies. Common collocations include 堙塞 (yīnsè, to block up) and 堙没 (yīnmò, to bury or obscure).

HSK Study Tips

Though 堙 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it connects to HSK Level 5 words related to construction and nature, such as 堤 (dī, embankment) and 坑 (kēng, pit). Focus on understanding its usage in contexts involving earth and construction.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 堙 (yīn) with similar sounding words like 阴 (yīn, which means shadow or yin in yin-yang). Be sure to remember that 堙 relates specifically to burying or blocking up, while 阴 has a different meaning.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 堙

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 堙 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 堙

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

earth

Semantic (meaning)土
+
Phonetic (sound)垔
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 堙

  1. 1The meaning half土 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half垔 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayearth
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 堙? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 堙?

Decomposition of 堙

IDS Structure⿰土垔
堙Full Character
=
土Tu3
left
垔yin1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 堙?

How to say to bury; to dam, to block up; mound in Chinese

“to bury; to dam, to block up; mound” in Chinese is堙yīn

The character 堙 (yīn) primarily means to bury or to block up, often in the context of creating a dam or mound. It can also refer to the act of closing off something, whether physically or metaphorically. This character is commonly used in construction or environmental contexts.

When to use 堙

Be cautious of the tone when pronouncing 堙, as it is pronounced with a high-level tone (yin). This character is more formal and is often found in written Chinese, especially in texts related to engineering or environmental studies. Common collocations include 堙塞 (yīnsè, to block up) and 堙没 (yīnmò, to bury or obscure).

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 堙 (yīn) with similar sounding words like 阴 (yīn, which means shadow or yin in yin-yang). Be sure to remember that 堙 relates specifically to burying or blocking up, while 阴 has a different meaning.

Write 堙

堙

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 堙

Words Containing This Character1
堙yīnbury
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 堙 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 堙

You pronounce it as 'yīn' with a high-level tone.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 堙?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.