How to Write 坡 (pō) — Meaning “slope / hill”

Imagine a hill made of earth (土) that is shaped like a slanted piece of skin or leather (皮). Or think of the sound "pō" like "pour" — picture water pouring down a sloping hill. This connects the shape and sound to the meaning.

The left radical 土 is written with three strokes: horizontal, vertical, horizontal. The right part 皮 starts with a horizontal hook (横钩), so do not lift the pen too early. A common mistake is making 皮's hook too big or forgetting the left-falling stroke (撇) after the hook.

坡 has 皮 (skin) on the right, while 在 has a different top (一 + 丿 + 土) and means "at" or "in." 圩 also uses 土 on the left but has 于 (yú) on the right, and it means a low-lying area or levee. So focus on the right side: 皮 = slope, 于 = embankment.

坡 is used in words like 山坡 (hillside), 上坡 (going uphill), and 下坡 (going downhill). It also appears in 坡度 (slope gradient) for roads or terrain. You might hear it in directions or when describing hilly landscapes in China, like "这个坡很陡" (this slope is very steep).

Common words containing 坡 include: 山坡 (shān pō) — Hillside or slope; 上坡 (shàng pō) — Uphill; to go uphill; 下坡 (xià pō) — downhill; to go downhill.