About
The character 坎, constructed from the components 土 (earth) and 欠 (to lack), has consistently represented the concept of a pit or hole in the ground, a meaning directly illustrated by its structural composition. Over time, this core physical notion was extended metaphorically to signify any hazardous obstacle or setback, giving rise to words like 坎坷 for bumpy roads or life’s misfortunes. Its most significant conceptual elevation came from its adoption in the I Ching (Book of Changes), where it names one of the Eight Trigrams and subsequently a hexagram, symbolizing the perilous and abyssal quality of water. This philosophical application enriched the character’s semantic field, allowing it to convey both tangible depressions in the earth and abstract notions of danger, difficulty, and one of the fundamental principles in ancient cosmology.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
前面路上有个土坎。
人生总会有坎坷。
他顺利度过了这个坎。
这段坎坷的道路很难走。
克服困难就像跨过一道坎。
她的话说到了我的心坎里。
尽管前途坎坷，他仍坚持梦想。
每一次挫折都是人生中的一道坎。