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嶇 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
嶇qūsteep, sheer; rugged, roughzg, 14 strokes, radical 山
qū(qu1) T1
  1. 1steep, sheer; rugged, rough
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

嶇qū(qu1)

The character 嶇 (qū) describes a steep or rugged terrain, often used to refer to cliffs or steep hillsides. It conveys a sense of abruptness and difficulty in navigation, commonly appearing in geographical contexts or descriptions of landscapes.

Strokes14Radical山
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, mountains and rugged landscapes are often associated with beauty and spirituality, as seen in traditional poetry and art. The character 嶇 reflects the reverence for nature in Chinese philosophy and aesthetics.

Memory Tip

Imagine a mountain peak (山) jutting out sharply into the sky, representing steepness. The character 嶇 has a 'rough' look, like the jagged edges of a cliff, helping you remember its meaning of ruggedness and steepness.

Meanings of 嶇

qū(qu1)
1steep, sheer; rugged, rough
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 嶇

嶇Simplified
14Strokes
山Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 嶇

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Podcast: 嶇

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 嶇

Quick Contrast

峭 (qiào) - use 嶇 (qū) for general steepness or rugged terrain, while 峭 (qiào) emphasizes sharpness and steepness in a more dramatic way.

Usage Notes

This character is often used in formal contexts, particularly in literature or geographical descriptions. Be careful not to confuse it with similar characters, such as 陡 (dǒu), which also means steep but can carry a slightly different nuance. Use 嶇 when describing natural landscapes.

HSK Study Tips

Though 嶇 is not part of the official HSK levels, understanding it can enhance your vocabulary related to nature and geography, which often appears in HSK reading materials. Focus on recognizing the character in context to improve comprehension.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 嶇 (qū) with 陡 (dǒu) when trying to describe steepness. For example, saying '这座山很陡' (This mountain is very steep) is correct, but using 嶇 here would be incorrect without proper context.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 嶇

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Etymology of 嶇

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

Phonosemantic compound. 山 represents the meaning and 区 represents the sound. Simplified form of 嶇.

Memory Hint

mountain

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 嶇

Phonosemantic compound. 山 represents the meaning and 区 represents the sound. Simplified form of 嶇.

  1. 1The meaning half山 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half區 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 嶇? 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 嶇?

Decomposition of 嶇

IDS Structure⿰山區
嶇Full Character
=
山Shan1
left
區qu1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 嶇?

How to say steep, sheer; rugged, rough in Chinese

“steep, sheer; rugged, rough” in Chinese is嶇qū

The character 嶇 (qū) describes a steep or rugged terrain, often used to refer to cliffs or steep hillsides. It conveys a sense of abruptness and difficulty in navigation, commonly appearing in geographical contexts or descriptions of landscapes.

When to use 嶇

This character is often used in formal contexts, particularly in literature or geographical descriptions. Be careful not to confuse it with similar characters, such as 陡 (dǒu), which also means steep but can carry a slightly different nuance. Use 嶇 when describing natural landscapes.

嶇 or something close to it

峭 (qiào) - use 嶇 (qū) for general steepness or rugged terrain, while 峭 (qiào) emphasizes sharpness and steepness in a more dramatic way.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 嶇 (qū) with 陡 (dǒu) when trying to describe steepness. For example, saying '这座山很陡' (This mountain is very steep) is correct, but using 嶇 here would be incorrect without proper context.

Write 嶇

嶇

Practice writing 嶇 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 嶇

Words Containing This Character2
崎岖rugged崎嶇
岖qūrugged嶇
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 崎岖 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 嶇

It is pronounced as 'qū' with a high-level tone.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 嶇?

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.