How to Write 谿 (xī) — Meaning “mountain stream; valley”

Imagine a narrow mountain stream flowing through a valley (谷), and the water makes a soft "xi xi" sound — 奚 is pronounced "xī" and looks like winding water paths. Together, 谿 is a valley stream that sounds like its name.

Write the left radical 谷 first with 7 strokes: start with 撇, then 点, 撇, 捺, followed by 竖, 横折, and finally 横. For the right side 奚 (10 strokes), pay special attention to the 竖弯钩 (stroke 8) — beginners often make it too sharp or skip the hook. Keep the width balanced so both sides are roughly equal in size.

谿 (xī) has 谷 on the left and 奚 on the right, meaning "mountain stream or valley." 豁 (huò) has 害 on the left and 谷 on the right, meaning "open, clear, or to exempt." Visually, the left parts are completely different: 奚 (many strokes) vs. 害 (simpler structure).

谿 is a literary or historical character, rarely used in everyday speech. It appears in classical poetry and place names like 磻谿 (Pánxī), a famous fishing spot where the legendary Jiang Ziya was said to fish. In modern Chinese, people usually write 溪 (xī) instead for "stream."

Common words containing 谿 include: 谿谷 (xī gǔ) — valley; ravine; 谿径 (xī jìng) — mountain path; narrow trail; 磻谿 (pán xī) — Panxi (a historical place name).