垭 (yā) - A narrow mountain pass & a gap between hills

垭Tone 1

yā ｜ 9 strokes ｜ radical:

信嫣

垭 · yā

A narrow mountain pass;

a gap between hills;

a saddle in terrain;

often used in place names.

A narrow mountain passa gap between hillsa saddle in terrain

Usage highlights

mountain passpass openingcliff passclay passnarrow passwindy pass

Synonyms

  • 隘— narrow pass; strategic pass
  • 峡— gorge; narrow passage between mountains

Antonyms

  • 原— plain; flat open land
  • 坪— level ground; flat area

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • We passed through a mountain gap (山垭).
  • The village is located at Huangni Pass (黄泥垭).
  • There is a narrow pass ahead (前面有个垭口).
  • The terrain forms a natural saddle (地形形成一个垭).

Collocations

  • mountain pass(山垭)
  • pass opening(垭口)
  • cliff pass(崖垭)
  • clay pass(黄泥垭)
  • narrow pass(窄垭)
  • windy pass(风垭)

Idioms

  • None specifically centered on this character

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Primarily a geographical term describing a specific landform, common in southwestern China.
  • Frequently appears in place names, especially in mountainous regions like Sichuan, Yunnan, and Guizhou.
  • Reflects the importance of terrain features in local toponymy and navigation.

FAQ