槽 (cáo) - Trough & groove

槽Tone 2

cáo ｜ 15 strokes ｜ radical:

偲嫦

槽 · cáo

Trough;

groove;

slot;

a long, narrow, open container for holding food or water;

a channel or groove in machinery;

a slot for inserting items;

a bad or poor situation (slang).

Troughgrooveslot

Usage highlights

Water troughFeed troughSlot machineCard slotMemory slotGroove connection

Synonyms

  • 沟— ditch, groove
  • 渠— channel, canal
  • 盆— basin, bowl (different container type)

Antonyms

  • 峰— peak, summit (opposite of trough)
  • 脊— ridge, crest

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The carpenter cut a groove (槽) in the wood.
  • Animals eat from a feeding trough (饲料槽).
  • Insert the card into the slot (卡槽).
  • This situation is really bad (槽糕).

Collocations

  • Water trough(水槽)
  • Feed trough(饲料槽)
  • Slot machine(老虎机槽)
  • Card slot(卡槽)
  • Memory slot(内存槽)
  • Groove connection(槽接)

Idioms

  • To pour out one's grievances(倒苦水槽)
  • To fall into a trough(陷入低谷槽)
  • Slot and tenon joint(榫卯槽)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Historically used for animal feeding and water containment in agricultural societies.
  • In modern usage, extended to technological contexts like computer slots and machinery.
  • In internet slang, sometimes used to mean 'bad' or 'terrible' situation, derived from 槽糕 (cáo gāo).

FAQ