坑 (kēng) — (noun) pit, hole in the ground; (verb, informal) to cheat, to trick, to hoodwink
Definition
As a noun, 坑 is a pit or hole dug in the ground — more like a man-made hollow than a natural depression (盆地) or a fruit pit (核). As a verb, it means to cheat or trap someone, similar to 骗子 (a person) but 坑 is the action.
noun
pithole in the ground(verb, informal) to cheatto trickto hoodwink
Measure word · 个
Easily confused
Examples
- 坑，。Qián miàn yǒu yí gè kēng, zǒu lù yào xiǎo xīn.There is a pit ahead; be careful when walking.
- 坑，。Tā kēng le bù shǎo rén, xiàn zài méi rén xìn tā le.He cheated quite a few people, and now no one trusts him.
- 坑，。Zhè ge xiàng mù shì gè kēng, qiān wàn bié tóu qián.This project is a pitfall; don't invest money.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
Sound part声符shēngfú
亢
亢kàng坑kēng(r)
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
The current form 坑 uses 土 (soil) for the meaning and 亢 for the sound.
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