坑 (kēng) - pit & hole

坑Tone 1

kēng ｜ 7 strokes ｜ radical: 土

俊梁

坑 · kēng

pit;

hole;

tunnel;

to entrap;

to cheat;

a surname.

pitholetunnel

Usage highlights

pitto cheat someonetunnelfire pitmud pitsand pit

Synonyms

  • 洞— hole; cave
  • 穴— cave; den
  • 阱— trap; pitfall

Antonyms

  • 丘— mound; hillock
  • 山— mountain; hill

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He dug a pit (坑) in the ground.
  • Watch your step, there's a hole (坑) in the road.
  • Don't get cheated (被坑) by that merchant.
  • They are constructing a tunnel (坑道).

Collocations

  • pit(坑)
  • to cheat someone(坑人)
  • tunnel(坑道)
  • fire pit(火坑)
  • mud pit(泥坑)
  • sand pit(沙坑)

Idioms

  • To burn the books and bury the scholars alive(焚书坑儒)
  • A pitfall to avoid(避坑落井)
  • To dig a pit for someone else and fall into it oneself(挖坑自埋)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Historically associated with traps, pitfalls, and treacherous terrain.
  • The character appears in the famous historical phrase '焚书坑儒' (burning books and burying scholars alive), referring to an event during the Qin dynasty.

FAQ