开掘

開掘

kāijué

verb

Meanings

1 to dig
2 to excavate
3 to explore (a topic) in depth

Characters

to open / start

Examples

工人正在开掘新的矿井。

Gōngrén zhèngzài kāijué xīn de kuàngjǐng.

The workers are excavating a new mine shaft.

这部小说深入开掘了人性的复杂。

Zhè bù xiǎoshuō shēnrù kāijuéle rénxìng de fùzá.

This novel deeply explores the complexity of human nature.

Tips

usage

开掘 has both a literal sense (digging mines, tunnels, canals) and a figurative sense often used in literary criticism — 'excavating' themes, characters, or material. Compare with 挖掘 (wājué), which is more neutrally 'to dig out / unearth'.

Stroke Order

开 kāi

掘 jué