雪山

• Pinyin: xuě shān
• Hanzi breakdown: 雪 = 雨 + 彗 (rain + broom — snow sweeping down like rain); 山 = pictograph of three mountain peaks

Meaning

Snow-capped mountain; snow mountain. A mountain whose peak is permanently or seasonally covered with snow.

A vivid and culturally resonant image in Chinese poetry, literature, and geography. The Himalayas and the mountains of Tibet, Yunnan, and Sichuan are home to numerous famous 雪山. In literary contexts often evokes purity, majesty, and remoteness.

Examples

1. 西藏的雪山在朝阳的照耀下熠熠生辉，洁白的山峰倒映在碧蓝的湖水中，景色壮阔而神圣。 In Tibet, the snow-capped mountains shimmered in the morning sun, their white peaks reflected in the deep-blue lake—majestic and sacred.
2. 攀登雪山需要充分的体能训练、专业的装备以及对高原气候的全面了解，否则风险极大。 Climbing a snow-covered mountain requires thorough physical training, professional equipment, and a full understanding of high-altitude conditions; otherwise the risks are enormous.
3. 玉龙雪山是云南纳西族心目中的神山，千百年来受到当地民众的顶礼膜拜与精心守护。 Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is a sacred mountain to the Naxi people of Yunnan and has been revered and carefully protected by locals for centuries.

Usage Guide

Context: geography, travel, nature, literature, mountaineering

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 贡嘎雪山是四川第一高峰，终年积雪不化，云雾缭绕，吸引着来自世界各地的登山爱好者和探险家前来挑战。(Gongga Snow Mountain is the highest peak in Sichuan, permanently covered in snow and shrouded in cloud and mist, attracting mountaineering enthusiasts and adventurers from around the world to take on the challenge.)
• 飞机穿越云层后，舷窗外突然出现了绵延数百公里的喜马拉雅雪山山脉，壮观的景象令机上乘客纷纷惊叹。(After the aircraft broke through the cloud layer, the Himalayan snow mountain range stretching hundreds of kilometres suddenly appeared outside the cabin window, the spectacular sight drawing gasps of amazement from passengers on board.)

Don't Say

• 那座山有一点雪山的感觉 — either a mountain qualifies as a 雪山 with permanent or substantial snow cover, or it does not; use 积雪的山坡 or 有积雪的山 for a mountain with some snow rather than claiming the full 雪山 designation

Origin & History

雪 (snow) + 山 (mountain) — a mountain covered with snow

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal