岸

• Pinyin: àn
• Hanzi breakdown: 岸 = 山 (mountain) + 厂 (cliff) + 干 (phonetic)

Meaning

Shore; bank; coast. Refers to the land along the edge of a body of water such as a river, lake, or sea.

Commonly used in compound words like 河岸 (riverbank), 海岸 (seashore), or 对岸 (opposite shore). Can also appear in figurative expressions like 彼岸 (the other shore, meaning nirvana or an ideal destination).

Examples

1. 孩子们在河岸边追逐嬉戏，欢声笑语传遍整个公园。 Children chased and played along the riverbank, their laughter echoing throughout the park.
2. 船慢慢靠近岸边，乘客们开始收拾行李准备下船。 The boat slowly approached the shore as passengers began gathering their luggage to disembark.
3. 我们沿着湖岸散步，欣赏着夕阳下的美丽风景。 We strolled along the lakeshore, admiring the beautiful scenery under the setting sun.

Usage Guide

Context: geography, travel, description

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 海岸线非常美丽。(The coastline is very beautiful.)
• 他站在岸上等我们。(He stood on the shore waiting for us.)

Don't Say

• 直接说'我在岸'而不加上具体是什么岸 (Don't say just 'I'm at 岸' without specifying which body of water — use 河岸, 海岸, 湖岸 etc.)

Origin & History

Pictophonetic character: 山 (mountain) provides the semantic component suggesting elevated land, while 干 is the phonetic component.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal