Definitions

mǎo round yellow dirt mount (in the Northwest of China)

Etymology phono-semantic

mountain

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

is a phono-semantic compound with the semantic mountain radical on the left and the phonetic component on the right. The character designates a highly specific topographical feature: a circular or dome-shaped hill of loess soil, typical of the eroded landscapes in China's Loess Plateau. Owing to its precise meaning, it is a key term in the local geology and geography of northwestern China.