About
垭 (yà, traditional 埡) is a phono-semantic compound used almost exclusively in geographical and topographical terms. The left component, the earth radical 土 (tǔ), conveys a meaning related to land, soil, or geological features, and the right component 亚 (traditional 亞) supplies the sound. It specifically refers to a narrow ridge, mountain pass, or saddle-like depression between two higher peaks. The character is common in the toponymy of western and southwestern China, especially in mountainous regions, where it often serves as a descriptive suffix in names of passes, villages, and elevated transit routes.
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