拓荒

tuòhuāng

verb #34,973

Meanings

1 to open up wasteland (for cultivation)
2 to pioneer
3 to break new ground

Characters

to open up, expand

wilderness, wasteland

Examples

早期移民在西部拓荒。

Zǎoqī yímín zài xībù tuòhuāng.

Early settlers opened up wasteland in the west.

他是这个领域的拓荒者。

Tā shì zhège lǐngyù de tuòhuāng zhě.

He is a pioneer in this field.

Tips

usage

Literal sense (清理荒地耕种) is about turning wilderness into farmland — the American 'Old West' image. The figurative sense, 拓荒者 ('a pioneer'), is widely used in business and academic writing for someone breaking new ground in a field.

Stroke Order

拓 tuò

荒 huāng