碛 (qì) - Gravel bank & moraine

碛Tone 4

qì ｜ 13 strokes ｜ radical:

七器

碛 · qì

Gravel bank;

moraine;

desert;

refers to a gravelly or sandy area, often in arid regions.

Gravel bankmorainedesert

Usage highlights

Gravel desertRiver gravelGlacial moraineArid gravel plainGravel bankDesert sand

Synonyms

  • 砾— gravel; small stone
  • 沙— sand
  • 漠— desert

Antonyms

  • 沃— fertile (land)
  • 泽— marsh; wetland

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The riverbed was covered with gravel (河碛).
  • They crossed the desert (碛漠) on camels.
  • Glacial moraine (冰碛) deposits were visible in the valley.
  • The arid gravel plain (碛卤) stretched for miles.

Collocations

  • Gravel desert(碛漠)
  • River gravel(河碛)
  • Glacial moraine(冰碛)
  • Arid gravel plain(碛卤)
  • Gravel bank(碛岸)
  • Desert sand(碛沙)

Idioms

  • Crossing the desert and braving the frost(度碛历霜)
  • The vast Gobi gravel desert(大漠穷碛)
  • Gravel and sand stretching far and wide(碛沙万里)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • 碛 often appears in geographical descriptions of northwestern China's arid landscapes.
  • Historically used in poetry and literature to evoke images of desolate, expansive terrain.
  • Common in terms related to glacial geology (冰碛) and desert environments.

FAQ