Chinese word

海峡

Pronunciation

Pinyinhǎi xiá

Meaning

  • nounstrait

Example

这座桥横跨海峡，连接两岸。zhè zuò qiáo héng kuà hǎi xiá lián jiē liǎng àn

This bridge spans the strait, connecting the two shores.

Illustration for 海峡 (strait)

More examples

雾使海峡的航运受阻。wù shǐ hǎi xiá de háng yùn shòu zǔ

Fog disrupted shipping in the strait.

Core concept

A sea passage squeezed between islands or landmasses, often linking larger bodies of water.

Common phrases

  • 台湾海峡tái wān hǎi xiá

    Taiwan Strait

  • 海峡两岸hǎi xiá liǎng àn

    both sides of the strait

  • 海峡航道hǎi xiá háng dào

    strait shipping route

Similar words

海湾hǎi wān: A broad inlet where the sea reaches into the land.
港口gáng kǒu: A place by the sea or a river where ships arrive, leave, load, and unload.
航道háng dào: A marked route through the sea or a river for ships to follow.
运河yùn hé: A narrow waterway dug by people for boats and ships.

Definition in Chinese

海峡是岛屿或大陆之间较窄的航道或水道。hǎi xiá shì dáo yǔ huò dà lù zhī jiān jiào zhǎi de háng dào huò shuǐ dào

Word origin

海 (hǎi, "sea") + 峡 (xiá, "narrow pass") applies the idea of a narrow land pass to a passage through the sea.

Usage tips

  • In Chinese place names, the location often comes before the water feature, as in 台湾海峡 (Táiwān Hǎixiá, "Taiwan Strait"), a pattern that matches many English names.

Related words

  • 台湾海峡tái wān hǎi xiáTaiwan Straitnoun

Word lists with this word