要隘

tōng xiàng dōng běi de yào ài

通向东北的要隘

a pass known as the key to the Northeast

jù shǒu yào ài

据守要隘

hold a strategic pass

bù duì fèng mìng zài tōng wǎng gāi chéng de yào ài zhù zhā xia lai

部队奉命在通往该城的要隘驻扎下来。

The military forces were ordered to sit down at the approaches to the city.