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崮 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
崮gùmesa, plateaug, 11 strokes, radical 山
崮gùsteep-sided flat-topped mountainunknown, 11 strokes, radical 山
崮gù(element in mountain names)unknown, 11 strokes, radical 山
gù(gu4) T4
  1. 1mesa, plateau
  2. 2steep-sided flat-topped mountain
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

崮gù(gu4)

The character 崮 (gù) refers to a geographical feature known as a mesa or plateau, characterized by its steep sides and flat top. It is commonly used in place names to describe mountains that have this distinct shape, often found in hilly or mountainous regions.

Strokes11Radical山
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, mountains are often seen as symbols of strength and stability. The term 崮 is reflective of the diverse and rich geographical features found throughout China, which holds significant cultural and historical importance.

Memory Tip

Imagine a giant plate (like a dinner plate) resting on a steep mountain. The flat top of the mountain looks like a plate, helping you remember the pronunciation 'gù' as you visualize it balancing precariously atop the steep sides.

Meanings of 崮

gù(gu4)
1mesa, plateau
2steep-sided flat-topped mountain
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 崮

崮Simplified
11Strokes
山Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 崮

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Podcast: 崮

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AI Study Notes for 崮

Usage Notes

崮 is primarily used in geographical contexts and is not commonly used in everyday conversation. Be careful with the pronunciation, as it can be confused with similar-sounding words. It is often seen in compound words related to geography.

HSK Study Tips

While 崮 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it can be related to other geographical terms at higher levels. Students should focus on recognizing the character in context, especially in texts discussing geography or nature.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 崮 with similar characters that describe other geographical features, such as 山 (shān) for mountain. For example, saying '崮' when referring to a 'mountain' in general would be incorrect; use '山' instead.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 崮

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Etymology of 崮

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

mountain

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 崮

  1. 1The meaning half山 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half固 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaymountain
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 崮? 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 崮?

Decomposition of 崮

IDS Structure⿱山固
崮Full Character
=
山Shan1
top
固gu4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 崮?

How to say mesa, plateau in Chinese

“mesa, plateau” in Chinese is崮gù

The character 崮 (gù) refers to a geographical feature known as a mesa or plateau, characterized by its steep sides and flat top. It is commonly used in place names to describe mountains that have this distinct shape, often found in hilly or mountainous regions.

When to use 崮

崮 is primarily used in geographical contexts and is not commonly used in everyday conversation. Be careful with the pronunciation, as it can be confused with similar-sounding words. It is often seen in compound words related to geography.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 崮 with similar characters that describe other geographical features, such as 山 (shān) for mountain. For example, saying '崮' when referring to a 'mountain' in general would be incorrect; use '山' instead.

Write 崮

崮

Practice writing 崮 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 崮

Words Containing This Character2
崮gùmesa
孟良崮Mt Mengliang in Mengyin county 蒙陰縣|蒙阴县[Méng​yīn​xiàn], Linyi 臨沂|临沂[Lín​yí], Shandong
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 崮 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 崮

It is pronounced as 'gù', with a falling tone.

Jason Recommends

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