How to Write 峡 (xiá) — Meaning “Gorge / Canyon / Strait”

Imagine two tall mountains (山 on the left) squeezing a narrow path between them — the right side 夹 looks like a person (大) with two arms (丿 and ㇏) being pressed from both sides. This visual of a "squeezed" space between mountains helps you recall 峡 means gorge or canyon.

The left radical 山 should be narrow and tall, not too wide, to leave room for 夹. When writing 夹, start with the horizontal stroke, then the two diagonal strokes (丿 and ㇏) that cross near the middle, and finish with the two smaller strokes inside. A common mistake is making the 山 too wide or writing the 夹 part too cramped, which upsets the balance.

峡 (xiá) means a narrow valley or strait and is very common in words like 峡谷 (canyon) and 海峡 (strait). The character 岈 (xiā, rarely used) means a deep, empty valley or a cleft; it has 山 plus 牙 (tooth), suggesting a jagged opening. 岍 (qiān, also rare) refers to a mountain name or a hill; it uses 山 plus 幵 (level), implying a flat-topped hill. Unlike 峡, both 岈 and 岍 are obscure and not used in everyday Chinese.

峡 appears in common geographical terms like 峡谷 (canyon) and 海峡 (strait, e.g., 台湾海峡 — Taiwan Strait). It is also famous in the name 三峡 (Three Gorges), a scenic region on the Yangtze River in China known for the Three Gorges Dam. This character is essential for discussing natural landscapes and important waterways.

Common words containing 峡 include: 峡谷 (xiá gǔ) — Canyon / Gorge; 海峡 (hǎi xiá) — Strait / Channel; 三峡 (sān xiá) — the Three Gorges.