壅 (yōng) - To block & to obstruct

壅Tone 1

yōng ｜ 16 strokes ｜ radical:

樱咏

壅 · yōng

To block;

to obstruct;

to clog;

to dam up;

to heap soil around the roots of plants.

To blockto obstructto clog

Usage highlights

BlockageSoil heapingWater dammingObstructionCongestionBlocking information

Synonyms

  • 堵— to block, to stop up
  • 塞— to block, to fill up
  • 阻— to hinder, to obstruct

Antonyms

  • 通— to open, to clear, to pass through
  • 疏— to dredge, to clear away obstructions
  • 畅— smooth, unimpeded

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The drain is clogged (壅塞).
  • Farmers heap soil around the roots (壅土).
  • The river was dammed (壅水).
  • The pipes are blocked (管道壅堵).

Collocations

  • Blockage(壅塞)
  • Soil heaping(壅土)
  • Water damming(壅水)
  • Obstruction(壅蔽)
  • Congestion(壅滞)
  • Blocking information(壅闭)

Idioms

  • Blocking the wise and concealing the able(壅蔽贤能)
  • Blocking the ears and stealing the bell(壅耳盗铃)
  • Accumulating soil to form a mountain(壅土成山)
  • Blocking the source and stopping the flow(壅源塞流)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally an agricultural term for heaping soil around plant roots to protect and nourish them.
  • Extended meaning of obstruction appears in classical texts discussing blocked waterways or suppressed information.
  • Used in traditional Chinese medicine to describe stagnation of qi or blood flow.

FAQ