HanziGuru.挖 · wā
挖
wā[wa1]Tone 1

to dig

HSK 6
Guru Deep Dive

English · to dig

Cached lesson
1 / 1
Topology:Left-right
Strokes:9
Writing Balance Rule: The left radical (hand radical 扌) is narrow and compressed, leaving the right phonetic component (穴) wider with enough room to display its roof and cave opening.
1. Meaning

to dig or excavate

to scoop outto gougeto unearth (figuratively)
VerbNeutral#action#construction#earth
Sample Usage
  • 他在地上挖了一个洞。
    Tā zài dì shang wā le yī gè dòng.
    He dug a hole in the ground.
  • 我们要挖出真相。
    Wǒmen yào wā chū zhēnxiàng.
    We want to unearth the truth.
2. Sound
/[wa˥]/Tone: 55
挖
wāwa1
++
¯(55)
=wā
Initial Consonant
w
Type: Labio-Velar Glide (Zero Initial)
Sounds like: w sound like in water
Unaspirated
Airflow Tactile Test: Round lips tightly before gliding into vowel.
Tongue & Mouth Position: Lips rounded loosely, tongue relaxed at the bottom of the mouth.
Final Rhyme
a
Vowel Group: -a vowel group
Sounds like: ah sound like in father
Mouth Shape Guide: Pronounce as standalone vowel 'ah'.
Common Learner Trap: Keep vowel quality steady across all 4 tone contours.
Tone
T1 (55)
1st Tone (High-Flat)
Tone Pitch & Cadence: Tone 1 is a high, level pitch that matches the top register of your normal speaking voice, similar to a sustained musical note.
👂
Listening trap: Mistaking it for a falling tone because it sounds energetic, or missing the initial 'w' glide and hearing just 'ā'.
👋
Physical Tone Gesture: A high, flat musical note, like a singer holding a steady high pitch at the top of their voice without moving.
3. Writing

Topology: Left-right · Strokes: 9 strokes

Writing Balance Rule: The left radical (hand radical 扌) is narrow and compressed, leaving the right phonetic component (穴) wider with enough room to display its roof and cave opening.

4. Components

Radical 扌 · Hand radical (hand, physical action)

Semantic Clue (形旁): 扌 (Indicates an action performed with the hand (digging).)

Phonetic Clue (声旁): 穵 (original sound: wa)

You use your hand (扌) to scoop out and carve a cave or hole into the earth (represented phonetically and semantically by the cavity roof structure).

  • 扌 Hand component indicating manual action
  • 穴 Cave or hole component
5. History
Liushu category: Phono-semantic (形声)

Origin: Combined from the hand radical (扌) showing manual labor and a phonetic element related to cavities or hollow spaces (穴).

Semantic Evolution: Originally meant to scoop out or hollow something out, expanding over time to mean any form of excavation, digging, or extracting information.

  • In ancient times, it was frequently used to describe digging wells, trenches, or graves.
6. Sinosphere
🇯🇵
Kanji (Japanese)
On: ワ (wa) / Kun: ほ (ho)
7. Memory
Vivid Mnemonic Story

You use your HAND (扌) to dig into a cave or hole in the ground, shouting 'WAH!' as you strike a treasure chest.

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)
挖
wāto digBase form with hand radical
Lookalikes & Traps (形近字)
究(jiū)
Has a roof on top (jiū - research) instead of a hand on the left (wā - dig).
8. Mastery
Active Recall Challenge
考古学家正在沙漠里___古 Sè 遗址。
Clue: wā
Common Learner Pitfall

Confusing the hand radical (扌) on the left with other left-side elements like the water or speech radicals.

Memory Prompts
Recognition: When you see 挖, what manual action does it represent?
Production: How do you write the character for 'to dig' using the hand radical and cave component?
Real-World Video Context

Watch authentic native speakers pronounce and explain this word in real-world YouTube videos.

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