闉 (yīn) - Curved gateway & outer gate of a city

闉Tone 1

yīn ｜ 17 strokes ｜ radical:

懿嘤

闉 · yīn

Curved gateway;

outer gate of a city;

city wall;

to block or obstruct.

Curved gatewayouter gate of a citycity wall

Usage highlights

City gateCurved gatewayOuter gateBlock the gateAttack the gateGate tower

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • 通— open, through
  • 暢— unobstructed

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The army attacked the city gate (闉).
  • He stood by the curved gateway (闉闍).
  • The ancient city wall (城闉) was well preserved.
  • They blocked the entrance (闉塞).

Collocations

  • City gate(城闉)
  • Curved gateway(闉闍)
  • Outer gate(外闉)
  • Block the gate(闉塞)
  • Attack the gate(攻闉)
  • Gate tower(闉樓)

Idioms

  • To attack city gates and break through defenses(攻闉陷陣)
  • The towering city gate(重闉)
  • Blocked by the city gate(闉隔)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In ancient Chinese cities, the 闉 referred to the curved outer gate or gateway structure of the city wall.
  • This character appears in classical texts describing city fortifications and military sieges.
  • The character reflects the importance of city defenses in traditional Chinese urban planning.

FAQ