悬崖

• Pinyin: xuán yá
• Hanzi breakdown: 悬 = hanging/suspended; 崖 = 山 (mountain) + 厂 (cliff overhang) + 土 (earth) — a rocky cliff on a mountain

Meaning

Cliff; precipice. A steep rock face or sharp vertical drop from high ground.

Used literally for geographical features and metaphorically in idioms like 悬崖勒马 (rein in a horse at the cliff's edge — stop at the last moment before disaster) and 悬崖峭壁 (sheer cliffs and steep walls). Also used in rhetoric about standing at a critical point of no return.

Examples

1. 登山队员小心翼翼地沿着悬崖边缘前行，脚下是百米深渊，稍有不慎便有粉身碎骨之险。 The climbers moved cautiously along the edge of the cliff; below them was a hundred-meter abyss, and one misstep could mean being killed instantly.
2. 这片风景区以壮观的悬崖峭壁著称，每年吸引大批游客慕名而来，流连忘返。 This scenic area is famous for its spectacular cliffs, drawing large numbers of visitors every year who come especially to see them and never want to leave.
3. 他在生命的悬崖边缘徘徊了很久，幸而得到了家人的及时开导与心理咨询师的专业帮助。 He hovered on the edge of a life-and-death crisis for a long time, but fortunately he received timely guidance from his family and professional help from a counselor.

Usage Guide

Context: geography, nature, metaphor, literature

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 公路一侧紧贴着高耸的悬崖，另一侧则是万丈深渊，驾驶员必须全神贯注，不得有丝毫分心。(The road clings to a towering cliff on one side and drops into an abyss on the other; drivers must concentrate fully without the slightest distraction.)
• 他终于在家人的劝说下悬崖勒马，放弃了那笔涉嫌违规的投资，从而避免了日后更大的法律风险。(He finally heeded his family's persuasion and pulled back from the edge, giving up the potentially illegal investment and thereby avoiding far greater legal risks down the road.)

Don't Say

• 这道题是一道悬崖 — 悬崖 is a concrete geographic or metaphoric image involving dangerous height; for a difficult problem use 难关 or 难题; 悬崖 cannot substitute for abstract intellectual difficulty

Origin & History

悬 (to hang/be suspended) + 崖 (cliff/precipice)

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal