Chinese Character: 坑
1. Character Basics
Radical: 土 (earth/soil radical)
Stroke Count: 7
Stroke Order:
2. Pronunciation
Pinyin: kēng
3. Meaning
English meaning: pit, hole, trench, hollow, trap, swindle
4. Common Words
- 水坑 (shuǐ kēng) - puddle, water hole
- 挖坑 (wā kēng) - dig a hole
- 陷阱 (xiàn jǐng) - trap, pitfall
- 坑人 (kēng rén) - swindle people, cheat someone
- 坑道 (kēng dào) - tunnel, trench
5. Grammar & Usage
Usage notes:
- 作为名词，表示地面上的凹陷处：地上有个水坑。(There's a puddle on the ground.)
- 作为动词，表示欺骗或使人陷入困境：他被坑了。(He was cheated.)
- 常见搭配：水坑、土坑、挖坑、坑人、陷阱
- 引申义：表示欺骗或设计害人的行为
6. Cultural Background
In Chinese culture, the character "坑" has both literal and figurative meanings. The literal meaning refers to physical holes or pits, while the figurative meaning relates to deception or traps. This reflects how the Chinese language often extends concrete concepts to abstract ideas. In modern usage, "坑人" (swindling people) is a common expression to describe being cheated.
7. Example Sentence
Chinese: 路上有个大坑，小心别掉进去。
Pinyin: Lùshàng yǒu gè dà kēng, xiǎoxīn bié diào jìnqù.
English: There's a big hole on the road, be careful not to fall into it.
8. Memory Tips
Mnemonic: The character "坑" has "土" (earth) on the left and "亢" on the right. Imagine digging into the earth (土) to create a hole or pit (坑).