窄

zhǎi
adjective HSK 5 #11,030

Meanings

  1. 1 narrow
  2. 2 tight
  3. 3 narrow-minded

Examples

HSK 2
Zhè tiáo lù tài zhǎi le.
This road is too narrow.
HSK 7-9
Tā de xīnyǎn hěn zhǎi.
He is very narrow-minded.

Tips

usage
窄 is the opposite of 宽 (kuān, wide). Beyond physical width, 心眼窄 means narrow-minded, while 路窄 can metaphorically mean 'limited options.'

Components

radical
穴 xué
cave; hole
Cave/hole radical at the top - the indexing radical, picturing a roof over a doorway-opening, the simplified outline of a cave dwelling. Anchors 窄 in the family of confined-space chars with 空 (empty), 穿 (pierce through), 窗 (window), 究 (investigate-thoroughly). A narrow opening is essentially a small cave-mouth.
phonetic
乍 zhà
suddenly; at first
Bottom 乍 supplies the sound (zhà → zhǎi with tone shift). 乍 originally pictured a quick darting movement and means 'suddenly,' adding a faint semantic colouring: passing through a narrow opening is a quick squeeze, a sudden compression. Same phonetic anchors 炸 (explode), 榨 (press out), 诈 (deceive).

Stroke Order

窄 zhǎi