煤矿

• Pinyin: méi kuàng
• Hanzi breakdown: 煤 = 火 (fire) + 某 (phonetic) — coal, formed by fire/carbonisation; 矿 = 石 (stone) + 广 (wide space) — mine, ore deposit

Meaning

Coal mine; a mine from which coal is extracted.

Refers to both the physical mine site and the operation of coal extraction. China is the world's largest coal producer and consumer. Coal mines are central to discussions of energy policy, industrial safety, environmental degradation, and regional economic development, especially in provinces such as Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, and Shaanxi.

Examples

1. 这座煤矿已开采超过五十年，为当地提供了数以万计的就业岗位和大量税收。 This coal mine has been operating for over fifty years, providing tens of thousands of jobs and substantial tax revenue for the area.
2. 煤矿安全生产是重中之重，一旦发生事故，后果往往十分惨烈。 Coal mine safety is of utmost importance—when accidents happen, the consequences are often devastating.
3. 随着清洁能源政策的推进，部分老旧煤矿已陆续关停，转型压力较大。 As clean-energy policies advance, some older coal mines have been shut down one after another, creating significant pressure to transition.

Usage Guide

Context: industry, energy, economics, safety

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 政府加大了对煤矿安全的监管力度，要求所有矿井必须达到国家规定的安全标准。(The government has stepped up regulation of coal mine safety, requiring all mine shafts to meet nationally prescribed safety standards.)
• 这一地区因煤矿资源丰富而迅速崛起，但同时也面临严峻的环境治理挑战。(This region rose rapidly due to its abundant coal mine resources, but it also faces serious environmental governance challenges.)

Don't Say

• 将'煤矿'与'矿场'混用 — 矿场泛指各类矿产开采场地，而煤矿特指开采煤炭的矿井 (Don't use 矿场 interchangeably with 煤矿 — 矿场 is a general term for any mining site, whereas 煤矿 specifically refers to coal mines)

Origin & History

煤 (coal, from 火 fire + 某 phonetic) + 矿 (mine, ore, from 石 stone + 广 phonetic). Together meaning a mine where coal is extracted.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal