Chinese Character: 垦
1. Character Basics
Radical: 土 (earth/soil radical)
Stroke Count: 9
Stroke Order:
2. Pronunciation
Pinyin: kěn
3. Meaning
English meaning: reclaim (land), cultivate, dig up
4. Common Words
- 开垦 (kāi kěn) - reclaim land, open up wasteland
- 垦荒 (kěn huāng) - reclaim wasteland
- 垦殖 (kěn zhí) - cultivate, farm
- 垦地 (kěn dì) - cultivated land
- 垦田 (kěn tián) - reclaim and cultivate farmland
5. Grammar & Usage
Usage notes:
- 作为动词，表示开垦或耕种土地：开垦荒地。(Reclaim wasteland.)
- 常见结构：垦+名词（如土地、荒地、农田）
- 与其他动词组合：开垦、垦殖、垦种
- 常用于农业和土地开发相关的语境
6. Cultural Background
In Chinese history, land reclamation has been crucial for agricultural development and population growth. Ancient Chinese people developed advanced techniques for reclaiming and irrigating land, which contributed to China's status as an agricultural civilization. The character "垦" reflects this important connection to the land and farming.
7. Example Sentence
Chinese: 他们在山上开垦了一片梯田。
Pinyin: Tāmen zài shānshàng kāikěn le yīpiàn tītián.
English: They reclaimed a terraced field on the mountain.
8. Memory Tips
Mnemonic: The character "垦" has "土" (earth) on the left and "艮" (mountain) on the right. Imagine people working hard to reclaim and cultivate (垦) land (土) on the mountain (艮).