坂 (bǎn) - slope & hillside

坂Tone 3

bǎn ｜ 7 strokes ｜ radical: 土

傲不

坂 · bǎn

slope;

hillside;

incline;

embankment

slopehillsideincline

Usage highlights

slopehillsidesteep slopegentle slopeembankmentmountain slope

Synonyms

  • 坡— slope; incline
  • 斜面— inclined surface
  • 倾斜— inclination; slope

Antonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The car climbed the steep slope (陡坡).
  • We walked along the hillside (山坡).
  • The road has a gentle incline (缓坡).
  • They built an embankment (堤坡) along the river.

Collocations

  • slope(坂道)
  • hillside(山坡)
  • steep slope(陡坡)
  • gentle slope(缓坡)
  • embankment(堤坡)
  • mountain slope(山坂)

Idioms

  • Go downhill(走下坡路)
  • Uphill struggle(上坡路难行)
  • Steep as a wall(陡如墙壁)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • 坂 appears in many Japanese place names as 'saka' or 'zaka', reflecting hilly terrain.
  • In Chinese geography, 坂 often refers to natural slopes and inclines in mountainous regions.
  • The character combines earth (土) with anti/reverse (反), suggesting land that goes against level ground.

FAQ