‘斜坡’ (xié pō) is a compound noun meaning 'slope' or 'incline'—a surface that rises or falls at an angle rather than being level. The first character, 斜 (xié), means 'slanted' or 'oblique', while the second, 坡 (pō), means 'slope' or 'hillside'; together, they emphasize a gently or moderately angled terrain feature. It’s commonly used to describe natural landforms (e.g., hillsides, riverbanks) as well as built environments like ramps, driveways, or roadside embankments.

This word is neutral in register and appears frequently in everyday speech, geography, construction, and safety contexts (e.g., warning signs). Unlike more technical terms like ‘倾斜面’ (qīngxié miàn, 'inclined plane'), 斜坡 is concrete, visual, and accessible—ideal for describing real-world surfaces people walk, drive, or build on. It often appears with measure words like ‘个’ or ‘段’, as in ‘一段斜坡’ (a stretch of slope).