Definition
挖 (wā) is the everyday word for digging into the ground or a surface with a tool (shovel, hands). 挖掘 and 发掘 are more formal/literary, often used for archaeological excavation or figurative unearthing; 刨 (páo) is colloquial and can mean to dig but often implies scraping or removing surface layers.
verb
to digto excavate
Easily confused
- 哇wāsound-alikeexclamation of surprise or delight (wow)
- 瓦wǎsound-alikeroof tile
Examples
- 挖。Tāmen zhèngzài hòuyuàn wā yì kǒu jǐng.They are digging a well in the backyard.
- 挖。Kǎogǔxuéjiā cóng dìxià wā chū le hěnduō wénwù.Archaeologists have excavated many artifacts from underground.
- 挖。Tā yòng chǎnzi wā le yí gè dòng zhòng huā.He dug a hole with a shovel to plant flowers.
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