隞 (áo) - Ao — name of an ancient capital city & also refers to a type of high ground

隞Tone 2

áo ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

安傲

隞 · áo

Ao — name of an ancient capital city during the Shang Dynasty;

also refers to a type of high ground or mound used for defense.

Ao — name of an ancient capital cityalso refers to a type of high ground

Usage highlights

Ao capitalAo ruinsAo moundAo cityAo battleAo territory

Synonyms

  • 敖— Ao (ancient place name; same pronunciation)
  • 垒— fortress, rampart
  • 堡— fortress, stronghold

Antonyms

  • 洼— low-lying area, depression
  • 谷— valley, ravine

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The ancient capital Ao (隞都) was an important Shang Dynasty city.
  • Archaeologists are excavating the Ao ruins (隞墟).
  • The military built defensive mounds (隞垒) around the city.
  • Historical records mention the Battle of Ao (隞之战).

Collocations

  • Ao capital(隞都)
  • Ao ruins(隞墟)
  • Ao mound(隞垒)
  • Ao city(隞城)
  • Ao battle(隞战)
  • Ao territory(隞地)

Idioms

  • Firm as Mount Ao(稳如隞山)
  • Ao's impenetrable defense(隞不可破)
  • The strategic height of Ao(隞高临下)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Ao was one of the capital cities during the Shang Dynasty, mentioned in historical texts like the Bamboo Annals.
  • The character combines the radical for 'mound' (阝) with '敖', suggesting a fortified high ground.
  • In ancient times, 'ao' referred to strategically important elevated terrain used for military defense.

FAQ