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挖坑

wākēng
verb

Meanings

  1. 1 to dig a hole
  2. 2 to set a trap for someone; to set someone up
  3. 3 to start a new story or series

Examples

HSK 4
工人们正在路边挖坑种树。
Gōngrénmen zhèngzài lùbiān wākēng zhòng shù.
The workers are digging holes by the road to plant trees.
HSK 4
这位作者又挖坑了，上一部小说还没写完呢。
Zhè wèi zuòzhě yòu wākēng le, shàng yí bù xiǎoshuō hái méi xiěwán ne.
This author has started yet another series, and the last novel isn't even finished.
HSK 7-9
他故意给同事挖坑，想让对方在会上出丑。
Tā gùyì gěi tóngshì wākēng, xiǎng ràng duìfāng zài huì shàng chūchǒu.
He deliberately set his colleague up, hoping to make him look foolish at the meeting.

Tips

usage
Online fiction and fandom build a family of words on 坑 (pit), meaning an unfinished work: 挖坑 starts one, 填坑 finishes it, 弃坑 abandons it, and 入坑 is getting hooked on a new series or hobby. An author who never finishes anything is said to 挖坑不填.
grammar
A verb-object word, so other words can go in the middle: 挖了一个坑 (dug a hole), 给我挖了个坑 (set me up).

Stroke Order

挖 wā
坑 kēng