How to Write 岜 (bā) — Meaning “Mountain (often used in place names)”

Imagine a mountain (山) that makes the sound "ba" like a sheep. Picture a sheep standing on top of a mountain and shouting "Baa!" — the mountain is the radical, and the sheep's sound matches the pronunciation bā.

Write the top radical 山 first, making it slightly compact and centered. Then write 巴 below with four strokes: a horizontal fold, a vertical line, a horizontal line, and a vertical hook; keep the bottom part about the same width as the top to keep the character balanced.

Although all three have the mountain radical, 岜 has 巴 below and means a mountain in place names, while 屹 (yì) has 乞 and means "towering" or "standing firmly." 屺 (qǐ) has 己 and means a bare mountain (without trees). Their pronunciations and specific uses are completely different.

岜 is almost only used in proper place names, such as 岜沙 (Bāshā), a famous village in Guizhou province known for the traditional culture of the Miao and Dong ethnic groups. You won't see it in everyday conversation; it is a rare character mostly found on maps or in travel guides about southern China.

Common words containing 岜 include: 岜沙 (bā shā) — Biasha (a village in Guizhou); 岜山 (bā shān) — Mount Ba; 岜人 (bā rén) — Ba people (mountain dwellers).