Han character 垻

It can name flat land, a dam-like embankment, or a slope.

Mandarin Pinyin writes its two dictionary readings as bà and bèi: bà covers flat country and water-control works, while bèi means a slope. Both have the falling fourth tone; they sound roughly like “bah” and “bay.”

For translation, decide whether the passage describes terrain or water control. Don't choose “dam” solely from this written form.

What is 垻's early history?

A Chinese dictionary records its plain sense by 543 CE.

The Chinese dictionary 《玉篇》, compiled in 543 CE, records 垻 as a Sichuan word for a plain. That shows the word was in use by then; it does not date the character's creation.

Local records dated 1849–1892 use 垻 in names of dams and other water-control works. In Chinese writing, 壩 is the traditional form associated with dams; dictionaries record 垻 as a variant of 壩, and 坝 is the simplified form of 壩.

How do I type 垻?

Use a Chinese IME and select the right reading.

In Cangjie, enter 土月山金. In a Chinese Pinyin IME, enter bà or bèi, then select 垻 from the candidates.

If 垻 appears as a box, the font or app may lack its glyph. A font that includes this CJK character can display it.