How to Write 屹 (yì) — Meaning “Towering”

Picture a mountain (山) and next to it a person raising their arms in the shape of the letter Y (like 乞) — it looks like someone standing tall and proud on a peak. This image helps you remember that 屹 means "to tower" or "stand firmly."

The left radical 山 is written with three strokes: vertical, mountain peak (turning), and the right vertical. The right part 乞 has four strokes: a short slash, a horizontal, and two downward hooks — be careful not to confuse the last hook with a stroke from 气. Keep the left and right balanced, with 山 slightly smaller.

屹 has 山 (mountain) on the left and 乞 on the right, meaning "towering"; 屺 has 山 on the left and 己 (self) on the right, meaning a mountain without grass or a hill with no vegetation. 屾 is two mountains side by side (山 + 山) and means two peaks or a range. In usage, only 屹 is common in modern Chinese for describing a firm, tall posture.

屹 appears most often in the word 屹立 (yì lì), which means "to stand tall and firm," used for buildings, statues, or even a nation. Culturally, it evokes the image of a mountain that cannot be moved, so it often appears in inspirational phrases like 屹立不倒 (standing firm and never falling) to describe resilience and strength.

Common words containing 屹 include: 屹立 (yì lì) — To stand tall; 屹然 (yì rán) — Majestically towering; 屹立不倒 (yì lì bù dào) — To stand firm and never fall.