壑 (hè) - Gully, ravine, deep ditch & a deep valley or canyon

壑Tone 4

hè ｜ 17 strokes ｜ radical:

枫惠

壑 · hè

Gully, ravine, deep ditch;

a deep valley or canyon;

metaphorically refers to a deep gap or chasm.

Gully, ravine, deep ditcha deep valley or canyonmetaphorically refers to a deep gap or chasm.

Usage highlights

Deep ravineMountain gullyValley and ravineGorge and canyonFill a gullyVast chasm

Synonyms

  • 沟— ditch, channel
  • 谷— valley, ravine
  • 涧— mountain stream, gully

Antonyms

  • 峰— peak, summit
  • 丘— hill, mound
  • 陵— hill, mound

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The mountain stream carved a deep ravine (深壑).
  • There is a huge gap between rich and poor (贫富之壑).
  • The valley echoed with the sound of the wind (壑中风声).
  • He gazed into the deep chasm (凝视深壑).

Collocations

  • Deep ravine(深壑)
  • Mountain gully(山壑)
  • Valley and ravine(沟壑)
  • Gorge and canyon(壑谷)
  • Fill a gully(填壑)
  • Vast chasm(巨壑)

Idioms

  • A ravine of desire(欲壑难填)
  • As if facing a deep abyss, as if treading on thin ice(如临深渊，如履薄冰)
  • Thousands of gullies and valleys(千沟万壑)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Chinese landscape painting, '壑' represents deep, majestic natural scenery, often symbolizing the profound and mysterious aspects of nature.
  • Used metaphorically in literature to describe insatiable desires or deep-seated gaps that are difficult to fill.
  • In traditional Chinese philosophy, it sometimes represents the depth of knowledge or the vastness of the mind.

FAQ