cape, spit, promontory
﨑 centers on a geographical feature: a cape, spit, or promontory—a point of land jutting into water.
﨑 is a variant form of 崎, combining 山 (mountain) with a phonetic component that also suggests uneven or steep terrain. The exact historical development of this particular variant is uncertain.
The left side 山 means mountain, and the right side looks like a standing figure 立 over a mouth 口, like a lookout point. Imagine a mountain that forms a cape, with a lookout standing at the edge where land meets sea.
For キ, picture a key-shaped cape on a map: key -> キ, and the cape is the key landmark for sailors.
Osaka Kawasaki Rehabilitation University