坑

Phono-semantic compound:

土 — semantic component (“earth,” “ground”)

亢 — phonetic component, giving the kēng sound in Old Chinese

《說文解字》 (Shuowen Jiezi):

「坑，陷也。从土亢聲。」

“坑 means ‘to sink, a depression.’ Formed from 土 with 亢 as the phonetic component.”

Originally described a hollow dug in the ground, later extended to:

- mine shafts

- trenches / pits

- burial pits

- metaphorical “trap, to cheat someone” (modern Chinese slang usage)

갱도(坑道) — mine tunnel, shaft

탄갱(炭坑) — coal mine

매갱(埋坑) — burial pit

함갱(陷坑) — trap, snare

Historically, 坑 appears often in military and legal texts describing pit traps or mass burial pits.

The character retains a consistent association with earth + hollow across cultures.

Modern internet Chinese usage frequently employs 坑 metaphorically:

“坑爹” → “deceiving / tricking someone severely”

“填坑” → “to finish or complete an abandoned project”

Classical citations:

《漢書》 (Book of Han)

「因其坑阬之。」

“Thereupon they buried them in a pit.”

Used to describe mass burial or execution pits.