埳 (kǎn) - Pit, hole, trap & to fall into, to sink

埳Tone 3

kǎn ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

俊梁

埳 · kǎn

Pit, hole, trap;

to fall into, to sink;

defective, flawed;

variant of 坎 (pit, trap) and 陷 (to sink, to trap).

Pit, hole, trapto fall into, to sinkdefective, flawed

Usage highlights

Pit trapBumpy roadFall into a trapSet a trapDangerous pitDeep hole

Synonyms

  • 坎— pit, trap, threshold
  • 陷— to sink, to trap, pitfall
  • 阱— trap, pitfall

Antonyms

  • 平— flat, level, smooth
  • 坦— smooth, level, open

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He fell into a trap (埳阱).
  • The road was full of potholes (埳坷).
  • They set a trap for the enemy (设下埳阱).

Collocations

  • Pit trap(埳阱)
  • Bumpy road(埳坷)
  • Fall into a trap(入埳)
  • Set a trap(设埳)
  • Dangerous pit(危埳)
  • Deep hole(深埳)

Idioms

  • Full of hardships and obstacles(埳坷不平)
  • Fall into a trap set by others(堕其埳阱)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Often used interchangeably with 坎 in classical texts to represent pits, traps, or obstacles.
  • In philosophical contexts, can represent life's difficulties and challenges.
  • Appears in military texts describing tactical traps and ambushes.

FAQ