坑坑洼洼 (kēng kēng wā wā) — bumpy and uneven (of a road or surface); full of potholes

Definition

verb
bumpy and uneven (of a road or surface)full of potholes

Examples

  • 坑坑洼洼，。
    Nà tiáo lù kēng kēng wā wā de, hěn nán zǒu.
    That road is bumpy and hard to walk on.
  • 坑坑洼洼，。
    Kāi chē jīng guò zhè duàn kēng kēng wā wā de lù, fēi cháng diān bǒ.
    Driving on this bumpy stretch of road is very rough.
  • ，坑坑洼洼。
    Bào yǔ guò hòu, yuàn zi biàn de kēng kēng wā wā.
    After the heavy rain, the yard became full of potholes.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

坑坑many pits
坑kēngpit坑kēngpit
重叠Reduplication
洼洼many hollows
洼wāhollow洼wāhollow
重叠Reduplication

The 坑 and 洼 are each doubled and combined, painting a surface full of pits and hollows.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
土土tǔsoil
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.

Open 坑 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
土土tǔsoil
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.

Open 坑 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 窪; 洼 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
穴穴xuéhole
Sound part声符shēngfú
洼
洼wā窪
Same sound today

The traditional form 窪 pairs 穴 (hole) with a sound part written 洼; the simplified 洼 is a shorthand.

Open 洼 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 窪; 洼 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
穴穴xuéhole
Sound part声符shēngfú
洼
洼wā窪
Same sound today

The traditional form 窪 pairs 穴 (hole) with a sound part written 洼; the simplified 洼 is a shorthand.

Open 洼 →

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