瓦
wǎ · tile💡 How to pronounce
w → like the 'w' in 'way'. ǎ → like 'ah' with a falling-rising tone.
📖 The Story
瓦 is a roof tile — the curved piece of fired clay that protects traditional Chinese buildings from rain and snow. The character shows two tiles overlapping, like the layers on a roof. Chinese roofs are famous for their curved tiles and upturned eaves.
🎬 In Culture Today
In traditional Chinese architecture, roofs are not just functional — they are works of art. The yellow-glazed tiles of the Forbidden City are a symbol of imperial power. The phrase '瓦片' (wǎ piàn) means 'tile piece' and is used in the saying '破瓦' (pò wǎ) meaning 'broken tile'.
📚 Words
瓦片tile
瓦房tiled house
青瓦green/grey tile
瓦匠tile worker
📝 Example Sentences
瓦房很古老。
The tiled house is very old.
屋顶上有很多瓦片。
There are many tiles on the roof.