峡谷

• Pinyin: xiá gǔ
• Hanzi breakdown: 峡 = 山 + 夹 (mountain + pinched/between — a narrow mountain passage, gorge); 谷 = 入 + 口 (enter + mouth/opening — valley)

Meaning

Canyon; gorge. A deep, narrow valley with steep walls, typically formed by river erosion.

Used for natural geographical formations. China's most famous examples include 三峡 (Three Gorges) and 虎跳峡 (Tiger Leaping Gorge). Also used metaphorically for deep, narrow passages.

Examples

1. 科罗拉多大峡谷是世界上最壮观的峡谷之一，每年吸引数百万游客。 The Grand Canyon is one of the most spectacular canyons in the world and attracts millions of tourists every year.
2. 漂流队伍穿越深邃的峡谷，两岸悬崖峭壁令人叹为观止。 The rafting group passed through a deep canyon, and the sheer cliffs on both sides were breathtaking.
3. 这条峡谷地带地形险峻，历史上曾是易守难攻的军事要地。 This canyon area has rugged terrain and historically was a strategic military position—easy to defend and hard to attack.

Usage Guide

Context: geography, tourism, nature, history, environment

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 峡谷多由河流长期侵蚀形成，当水流切割岩层且地壳抬升更快时，就会出现陡峭狭窄的谷地。(Most canyons are formed by long-term river erosion; when flowing water cuts through rock layers and the crust rises faster, steep and narrow valleys appear.)
• 三峡工程改变了长江峡谷的面貌，抬高水位淹没古镇，也迫使百万居民搬迁。(The Three Gorges Project changed the face of the Yangtze River canyon, raised water levels to submerge old towns, and forced millions of residents to move.)

Don't Say

• 峡谷 and 山谷 interchangeably — 峡谷 specifically refers to a narrow, steep-walled canyon formed by erosion, while 山谷 is a broader term for any valley between mountains, not necessarily narrow or steep

Origin & History

峡 (gorge, strait — 山 + 夹, mountain + pinched between = a narrow mountain passage) + 谷 (valley — 入 + 口, enter + opening) — a narrow valley between steep mountain walls

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal