Meaning of 挖
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to dig
- to excavate
- to scoop out
How to use 挖
挖 (wā) means to dig or scoop something out, like soil, a hole, or even an eye of a potato. It also appears in figurative words such as 挖掘 (wājué, to unearth, to dig into) and 挖苦 (wāku, to make sarcastic remarks). Example: 孩子们在沙滩上挖洞。(Háizimen zài shātān shang wā dòng.) The children are digging holes on the beach.
挖 has the hand radical 扌 on the left and 穴 (cave, hole) on top of 乙 on the right, so picture a hand making a hole. When you dig, your hand opens up a cave in the ground.
Common mistake: Learners often say 挖 with a fourth tone, but it is first tone, wā, the same sound as 哇 (wā). Also do not confuse the right side with 空 (kōng); 挖 has 乙 under 穴, not 工.
挖 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
挖 wā · to dig · 9 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 挖.
Questions about 挖
What does 挖 mean?
挖 (wā) means "to dig; to excavate" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 挖?
挖 is made of 1 character: 挖 (9 strokes). That is 9 strokes in total.
Is 挖 an HSK word?
Yes. 挖 is on the HSK 6 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What does 挖墙脚 mean?
挖墙脚 (wā qiángjiǎo) literally means to dig at the foot of a wall. Figuratively it means to undermine someone, or to poach staff or a partner from someone else.
Can 挖 be used for recruiting people?
Yes. In everyday speech 挖人 (wā rén) means to headhunt or lure people away from another company, for example 他被别的公司挖走了 (Tā bèi bié de gōngsī wā zǒu le), He was poached by another company.