狹 (xiá) - narrow & limited

狹Tone 2

xiá ｜ 10 strokes ｜ radical:

万响

狹 · xiá

narrow;

limited;

cramped;

restricted in space or scope

narrowlimitedcramped

Usage highlights

narrow and smallnarrow and crampednarrownarrow roadnarrow alleynarrow space

Synonyms

  • 窄— narrow, tight
  • 隘— narrow, confined

Antonyms

  • 寬— wide, broad
  • 廣— extensive, vast
  • 闊— spacious, wide

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • This road is very narrow (狹窄的道路).
  • The room feels cramped (房間很狹小).
  • He has a narrow view of the world (他視野狹隘).
  • The alley is too narrow for cars (巷子太狹，車子過不去).

Collocations

  • narrow and small(狹小)
  • narrow and cramped(狹窄)
  • narrow-minded(狹隘)
  • narrow road(狹路)
  • narrow alley(狹巷)
  • narrow space(狹縫)

Idioms

  • Narrow road where enemies meet(冤家路狹)
  • Narrow escape from danger(狹路逃生)
  • Forced into a narrow path(迫入狹徑)
  • Narrow-minded and short-sighted(心胸狹窄)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Often used metaphorically to describe limited perspectives or narrow-mindedness in Chinese culture.
  • In traditional Chinese philosophy, being 'narrow' (狹) is contrasted with the ideal of being 'broad' or 'tolerant' (寬).
  • Appears in contexts describing physical constraints as well as mental limitations.

FAQ