Definitions

kēng (noun) pit; hole
kēng (verb) to defraud; to swindle

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Simplified form of .

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character 坑 is structured as a phono-semantic compound with the earth radical 土 as its semantic component, linking it to concepts of soil and ground, and the component 亢 serving as a phonetic indicator. Its core meaning originally centered on a physical pit or excavation in the earth, but over centuries, its usage extended to metaphorical senses such as a trap, a scheme, or an act of deception. This semantic shift occurred without altering the character's fundamental composition, which continues to combine 土 and 亢 in both historical and contemporary contexts.

Example Sentences Hide

路上有个小

Lù shàng yǒu gè xiǎo kēng.

There is a small pit on the road.

里都是水。

Kēng lǐ dōu shì shuǐ.

The pit is full of water.

这个需要填平。

Zhè gè kēng xū yào tián píng.

This pit needs to be filled.

他挖了一个深

Tā wā le yī gè shēn kēng.

He dug a deep pit.

小心别掉进里。

Xiǎo xīn bié diào jìn kēng lǐ.

Be careful not to fall into the pit.

这个产品了不少人。

Zhè gè chǎn pǐn kēng le bù shǎo rén.

This product has cheated many people.

网上购物要防

Wǎng shàng gòu wù yào fáng kēng.

Online shopping requires guarding against traps.

那个项目是个无底

Nà gè xiàng mù shì gè wú dǐ kēng.

That project is a bottomless pit.