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陔 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
陔gāiledge, step, terrace; slopeg, 8 strokes, radical 阝
gāi(gai1) T1
  1. 1ledge, step, terrace; slope
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

陔gāi(gai1)

The character 陔 (gāi) refers to a ledge or step, often associated with terraces or slopes. It can denote physical structures like terraces in architecture or the concept of a gradual incline in nature. In usage, it may be seen in contexts related to geography or construction.

Strokes8Radical阝
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese architecture, terraces (like those found in rice paddies) are crucial for agriculture, reflecting the importance of land use in Chinese culture. This character symbolizes both aesthetic and practical aspects of land management.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'guy' standing on a ledge (陔) that juts out from a hillside. The shape of the character can resemble a sloping roof, which connects visually to the idea of a terrace or ledge.

Meanings of 陔

gāi(gai1)
1ledge, step, terrace; slope
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 陔

陔Simplified
8Strokes
阝Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 陔

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Podcast: 陔

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 陔

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 陔 (gāi) with similar characters that involve elevation or steps, as their contexts may shift. This term is more likely to be used in formal discussions of geography or architecture rather than everyday conversation.

HSK Study Tips

Although 陔 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it connects with other HSK words related to geography and structures. Focus on recognizing it in context, especially in academic or descriptive passages.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 陔 (gāi) with similar-sounding characters. For instance, using 陔 when they mean 平台 (píngtái, platform) is incorrect; 陔 is specifically related to terraces or ledges.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 陔

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Etymology of 陔

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

hill

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 陔

  1. 1The meaning half阝 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half亥 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayhill
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 陔? 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 陔?

Decomposition of 陔

IDS Structure⿰阝亥
陔Full Character
=
阝yi4
left
亥hai4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 陔?

How to say ledge, step, terrace; slope in Chinese

“ledge, step, terrace; slope” in Chinese is陔gāi

The character 陔 (gāi) refers to a ledge or step, often associated with terraces or slopes. It can denote physical structures like terraces in architecture or the concept of a gradual incline in nature. In usage, it may be seen in contexts related to geography or construction.

When to use 陔

Be careful not to confuse 陔 (gāi) with similar characters that involve elevation or steps, as their contexts may shift. This term is more likely to be used in formal discussions of geography or architecture rather than everyday conversation.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 陔 (gāi) with similar-sounding characters. For instance, using 陔 when they mean 平台 (píngtái, platform) is incorrect; 陔 is specifically related to terraces or ledges.

Write 陔

陔

Practice writing 陔 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 陔

Words Containing This Character1
陔gāistep
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 陔 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 陔

The pronunciation is gāi, with a high-level tone.

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