壤 (rǎng) - Soil & earth

壤Tone 3

rǎng ｜ 20 strokes ｜ radical:

情仁

壤 · rǎng

Soil;

earth;

ground;

territory;

region;

also refers to fertile land or cultivated soil.

Soilearthground

Usage highlights

SoilFertile landTerritorySame regionBorder regionRed soil

Synonyms

  • 土— soil; earth
  • 地— land; ground

Antonyms

  • 天— heaven; sky (as in 天壤之别)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The soil here is very fertile (土壤).
  • They are from the same region (同壤).
  • This is fertile land (沃壤).
  • There is a dispute over the territory (边壤).

Collocations

  • Soil(土壤)
  • Fertile land(沃壤)
  • Territory(疆壤)
  • Same region(同壤)
  • Border region(边壤)
  • Red soil(红壤)

Idioms

  • Heaven and earth(天壤之别)
  • As different as heaven and earth(天壤之别)
  • Fertile soil for thousands of miles(千里沃壤)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese culture, soil/earth represents stability, foundation, and nourishment.
  • The character appears in agricultural contexts, reflecting China's long farming history.
  • Used metaphorically to describe fundamental differences (as in 天壤之别 - difference between heaven and earth).

FAQ