How to Write 硖 (xiá) — Meaning “Gorge”

Imagine a narrow crack in a mountain where a person (represented by 夹) is squeezed between two huge rocks (石). This visual of a person wedged in a rocky gap helps recall that 硖 means gorge.

Write 石 (left) first, then 夹 (right). The 石 radical should be slightly narrower to balance the right side. Pay attention to 夹: the first two strokes are horizontal lines, then an inward curve, then a small 人 on bottom — do not scrunch the bottom part.

硖 (gorge) focuses on a narrow rocky valley, while 砂 (shā) means sand or grit, using the same radical but a different phonetic. 砉 (huā or xū) describes a tearing sound or a startling noise, not related to geography. Visually, 硖 has 夹 inside, 砂 has 少, and 砉 has 聿.

硖 is not common in everyday speech but appears in place names, like 硖石 (Xiáshí, a town in Zhejiang or Hubei) and in historical geography for describing narrow river sections. You might see it in classical poems or travel writing about mountainous regions.

Common words containing 硖 include: 硖石 (xiá shí) — gorge rock; 硖口 (xiá kǒu) — gorge mouth; 硖江 (xiá jiāng) — gorge river.