隘 ài narrow
narrow; confined; a strategic pass
How to remember 隘: 阝 mound + 益 to profit = narrow. The tour bus squeezes between two grassy mounds, and the driver who hoped to profit from the shortcut finds the lane narrow.
Component breakdown
隘 = 阝 mound + 益 to profit
- 阝 mound
- 益 to profit
The tour bus squeezes between two grassy mounds, and the driver who hoped to profit from the shortcut finds the lane narrow.
How it is used
- Narrow/cramped, chiefly figurative: 狭隘 (xiá'ài) narrow-minded - 心胸狭隘 (xīnxiōng xiá'ài) petty and narrow-hearted.
- Concretely a strategic mountain pass: 隘口 (àikǒu) a defile, 关隘 (guān'ài) a fortified pass.
- 狭隘 is the common word and it's about mentality, not just physical width; contrast open-minded 开阔.