峡 (xiá): gorge; canyon

Meanings

三峡的风景非常壮观。

Sānxiá de fēngjǐng fēicháng zhuàngguān.

The Three Gorges scenery is magnificent.

河水在深深的峡谷中奔流。

Héshuǐ zài shēnshēn de xiágǔ zhōng bēnliú.

The river rushes through a deep gorge.

usage

峡 is a narrow passage squeezed between high sides: 峡谷 (gorge / canyon) on land, and 海峡 (strait) at sea.

radical

山 shān

mountain

The mountain radical 山 on the left tells you 峡 is a landform: the narrow gap pressed between two ranges.

phonetic

夹 jiā

to squeeze; to press between

夹 (to squeeze between) gives the sound and a strong meaning hint: a gorge is land 'pinched' between mountains.

峡 xiá