岩 yán cliff
cliff; rocks
How to remember 岩: 山 mountain + 石 stone = cliff. At the top of the mountain, the climber grips one loose stone and looks straight down the cliff to the sea.
Component breakdown
岩 = 山 mountain + 石 stone
- 山 mountain
- 石 stone
At the top of the mountain, the climber grips one loose stone and looks straight down the cliff to the sea.
How it is used
- Rock/crag: 岩石 (yánshí) rock, 岩浆 (yánjiāng) magma, 花岗岩 (huāgāngyán) granite.
- 攀岩 (pānyán) = rock climbing. Denotes solid rock, unlike 石头 (shítou) a stone/boulder.