() — (bound form) projecting rock or cliff over water, often used in place names

Definition

A bound morph meaning a rock or small cliff jutting over water, used almost entirely as a suffix in scenic place names like 燕子矶 and 采石矶.

bound form
projecting rock or cliff over water, often used in place names

Examples

  • Jiāng biān de jī shí hěn dǒu qiào.
    The rocks by the river are very steep.
  • Yàn zi jī shì nán jīng de yí gè lì shǐ míng shèng.
    Yanziji is a historical scenic spot in Nanjing.
  • Cǎi shí jī wèi yú cháng jiāng biān shàng.
    Caishiji is located on the banks of the Yangtze River.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 磯; 矶 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
shístone
Sound part声符shēngfú
Same sound today

The traditional form 磯 is made from 石 (stone) for the meaning and 幾 for the sound.

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.