How to Write 峤 (jiào) — Meaning “high mountain peak”

Imagine a very tall mountain peak (山) that is so high it seems to "look like" a tall building — and the right side 乔 visually resembles a tall structure reaching upward. You can think: "Mountain plus tall = a towering peak called 峤."

The left part 山 is written first: vertical stroke, then the left and right strokes. The right part 乔 starts with a short left-falling stroke, then horizontal strokes — be careful not to confuse the upper strokes with a '千' shape. A common mistake is making the right side too wide; keep 乔 narrow to balance with the mountain radical.

峤 specifically means a high, steep peak (with the tall component 乔). 岈 (xiā) refers to a deep, hollow valley or a cleft in a mountain, while 岍 (qiān) is a place name for a mountain in ancient China. They differ in both shape and meaning: 峤 has 乔 on the right, 岈 has 牙 (tooth/cliff), and 岍 has 开 (open).

峤 is quite rare in daily conversation and is mainly found in classical poetry or geographic names to describe majestic mountains. It appears in terms like 峤岳 (high mountains) and is sometimes used in literary descriptions of scenic peaks, evoking a sense of grandeur and ancient elegance.

Common words containing 峤 include: 峤岳 (jiào yuè) — high mountains; 岭峤 (lǐng jiào) — High mountain ridges; 尖峤 (jiān jiào) — High and steep peak.