挖

• Pinyin: wā
• Hanzi breakdown: 挖 = 扌(hand) + 穵 (phonetic component)

Meaning

To dig; to excavate; to scoop out. To remove material from the ground or to extract something.

Used for physical digging (挖土, 挖井) and figuratively for uncovering or extracting (挖掘人才 - to discover talent, 挖墙脚 - to poach someone). Also used colloquially for scooping food or removing something from a container.

Examples

1. 工人们正在挖地铁的隧道，预计明年完工。 Workers are digging the subway tunnel, expected to be completed next year.
2. 小时候我经常和爷爷一起去地里挖红薯。 When I was young, I often went to the fields with my grandfather to dig sweet potatoes.
3. 这家公司挖走了我们好几个技术骨干。 This company poached several of our key technical staff.

Usage Guide

Context: construction, agriculture, business

Tone: active

Do Say

• 他们在挖一口井。(They are digging a well.)
• 那家公司想挖我过去。(That company wants to poach me.)

Don't Say

• 我挖了他的秘密 — 发现秘密用'挖出'或'挖掘'，单独用'挖'听起来不完整

Origin & History

Pictophonetic character with 扌(hand) as the semantic component, indicating an action performed with hands or tools.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal