墙
qiáng · wall💡 How to pronounce
q → like 'ch' but with tongue flat. iáng → like 'yahng' with a rising tone.
📖 The Story
墙 is a wall — a structure that separates, protects, and defines space. In ancient China, walls were essential for defense — city walls, palace walls, and the Great Wall itself. The character combines 'earth' (土) and 'crops' (墙) — walls are made of earth and stand like tall crops.
🎬 In Culture Today
The Great Wall (长城) is the most famous wall in the world. Built over 2,000 years, it stretches thousands of kilometers across China. In Chinese culture, '墙' is also a metaphor for barriers — the phrase '撞墙' (zhuàng qiáng) means 'to hit a wall', or to encounter a dead end.
📚 Words
📝 Example Sentences
城墙很古老。
The city wall is very old.
墙壁上挂着一幅画。
There is a painting hanging on the wall.