峙

In Korean geography, 峙 is widely used to indicate 고개 / 재 (mountain pass).

Phono-semantic compound:

峙 = 山 (“mountain”, semantic) + 寺 (“temple”, phonetic)

山 — gives the meaning “hill, mountain, elevated land”

寺 — phonetic element giving sound 치 (MC d͡ʑiH)

Originally meant “a small hill or mountain standing upright”, then expanded to:

• a cliff or steep rise

• a standing, towering shape

• a mountain pass (in Korean lands)

In Classical Chinese, 峙 often appears in the verb phrase 峙立 (“to stand tall together”).

As a geographical term:

峙 is extremely common in Korean toponymy as ‘치’, meaning mountain pass / ridge.

문경새재 — Mungyeong Saejae Pass (older form included places with 峙)

백운치 — Baekunchi Pass

와우치 — Wauchi Pass

대치(峙) — Daechi

In native Korean, these passes are called ‘재’, while Sino-Korean names end in ~치.

Toponymic hidden reading (지명 속음):

‘티’ is an older pronunciation preserved in some regional place names.

치 ← 티 (palatalization)

This reflects the phonological history:

tji → tɕi (치)

Thus:

OO티 (old)

OO치 (modern SK)

Literary usage:

屹峙 (흘치) — towering; lofty

對峙 (대치) — to confront / stand facing each other

峙立 (치립) — to stand upright

Rare abstract usage:

峙志 (치지) — a mind standing firm (literary)

Distinction among Korean geographical characters:

嶺 (령/영) — long ridgeline or pass

峴 (현) — steep mountain pass

峙 (치) — shorter hill or pass, local ascent, common in small passes

Modern place names may mix these with both Sino-Korean readings and pure-Korean equivalents.

Chinese vs. Korean usage:

In Chinese, 峙 rarely means “mountain pass.”

Its meaning is mainly “to tower” / “to stand erect”.

Korean is unique in extending it as a productive toponymic suffix.

Classical citations:

《文選·張衡〈西京賦〉》 (Wenxuan)

「山岫崛嶷，崢嶸峙立。」

“The mountain peaks rise steeply, towering and standing tall together” — 峙立 = to stand prominently; aspiring peaks.

《太平御覽·山川部》 (Taiping Yulan)

「二山對峙。」

“Two mountains stand facing each other” — 峙 = to stand opposite; to rise up facing.

《新唐書·地理志》 (New Book of Tang)

「群峰環峙。」

“Surrounding peaks stand in a ring” — descriptive “upright mountain” imagery.