The engineering team starts excavating the foundation tomorrow.
Tips
usage
开挖 emphasizes the start or undertaking of digging, typical for construction, mining, archaeology, and tunnel work. Compare 挖掘 (wājué, to excavate, more general) and 挖 (wā, to dig, simpler/more conversational).
memory
开 'to start/open' + 挖 'to dig', literally 'open-dig', i.e. to break ground. The 开 prefix turns many verbs into 'starting' verbs: 开工 (start work), 开拍 (start filming), 开课 (start a course).
