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矿 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
矿
kuàng
ore
HSK 7, n, 8 strokes, radical 石, rank #8400, Very Hard
矿
kuàng
mine
HSK 7, n, 8 strokes, radical 石, rank #8400, Very Hard
矿
kuàng
mine; mineral, ore
HSK 7, n, 8 strokes, radical 石, rank #8400, Very Hard
kuàng(kuang4)kuang T4
1ore
2mine
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March 24, 2026
矿(礦)kuàng(kuang4)
The character 矿 (kuàng) refers to 'ore' or 'mine', typically used in contexts related to mining, geology, and natural resources. It indicates materials that are extracted from the earth, such as metals or minerals, and can be used in both casual and formal discussions about industry and geology.
Strokes8Radical石Frequency#8400DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note
In China, mining has played a significant role in economic development, especially in regions rich in minerals like Shanxi and Shaanxi. The character 矿 is often seen in discussions about environmental policies and sustainable mining practices.
Memory tip
Imagine a miner wearing a helmet (the top part of 矿) digging into the earth (the bottom part resembles the ground) to find valuable ores. The sound 'kuàng' can remind you of 'clank', the noise of tools hitting rocks underground.
Meanings of 矿
kuàng(kuang4)
1ore
2mine
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 矿 means.
About 矿
矿Simplified
礦Traditional
8Strokes
石Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#8400Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRC1
Podcast: 矿
Podcast: 矿
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AI study notes for 矿
Quick Contrast
矿 (kuàng) vs 矿石 (kuàngshí): 矿 refers to 'ore' or 'mine' in a general sense, while 矿石 specifically means 'ore stone', emphasizing the raw material form.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 矿 with similar-sounding characters like 光 (guāng), which means 'light'. It is commonly used in formal contexts such as discussions about mining industry regulations, so keep the tone appropriate. Common collocations include 矿石 (kuàngshí), meaning 'ore'.
HSK Study Tips
While 矿 is not currently an HSK vocabulary word, students at HSK 4 and above may encounter it in reading passages about natural resources or industry. Focus on recognizing it in context and understanding its relation to other vocabulary about nature and materials.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 矿 with related terms like 矿泉 (kuàngquán, meaning 'spring water'), mistakenly thinking they are the same. Remember that 矿 focuses on ores and mining, while 矿泉 refers to water sources.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 矿
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Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 矿 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
矿 = 石 + 广. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 矿
IDS Structure⿰石广
矿Full character
=
石dan4
left
广Guang3
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 矿?
How to say ore in Chinese
“ore” in Chinese is矿kuàng
The character 矿 (kuàng) refers to 'ore' or 'mine', typically used in contexts related to mining, geology, and natural resources. It indicates materials that are extracted from the earth, such as metals or minerals, and can be used in both casual and formal discussions about industry and geology.
When to use 矿
Be careful not to confuse 矿 with similar-sounding characters like 光 (guāng), which means 'light'. It is commonly used in formal contexts such as discussions about mining industry regulations, so keep the tone appropriate. Common collocations include 矿石 (kuàngshí), meaning 'ore'.
矿 or something close to it
矿 (kuàng) vs 矿石 (kuàngshí): 矿 refers to 'ore' or 'mine' in a general sense, while 矿石 specifically means 'ore stone', emphasizing the raw material form.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 矿 with related terms like 矿泉 (kuàngquán, meaning 'spring water'), mistakenly thinking they are the same. Remember that 矿 focuses on ores and mining, while 矿泉 refers to water sources.
Write 矿
矿
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Practice writing 矿 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar patterns of 矿
矿 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 3 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
铁轨跨过这条河直达____井口。
Across the river the railway track ran up to the pithead.
Example sentences for 矿 (16)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
铁轨跨过这条河直达矿井口。
tiě guǐ kuà guò zhè tiáo hé zhídá kuàng jǐng kǒu。
Across the river the railway track ran up to the pithead.
2
朋友们传话说矿工们想见他。
péngyou men chuán huà shuō kuàng gōng men xiǎng jiàn tā。
Friends passed the word that the miners wanted to see him.
3
几架马车仍然在破落的矿村中曲折行进。
jǐ jià mǎchē réngrán zài pò là de kuàng cūn zhōng qūzhé xíng jìn。
A few horse-drawn carts still trundle through the dilapidated mining villages.
The country's rich ore resources provide an important foundation for economic development.
14
新的科技使矿的开采更加高效和环保。
Xīn de kējì shǐ kuàng de kāicǎi gèngjiā gāoxiào hé huánbǎo.
New technology makes ore extraction more efficient and environmentally friendly.
15
专家建议在处理矿时应注意环境保护。
Zhuānjiā jiànyì zài chǔlǐ kuàng shí yīng zhùyì huánjìng bǎohù.
Experts suggest paying attention to environmental protection when processing ore.
16
为了找到高品质的矿，地质学家们进行了大量的勘探工作。
Wèile zhǎodào gāo pǐnzhì de kuàng, dìzhí xuéjiāmen jìnxíngle dàliàng de kāntàn gōngzuò.
To find high-quality ore, geologists conducted extensive exploration work.
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Word Family of 矿
Words containing this character20
矿kuàngore礦
煤矿méikuàngcoal mine煤礦
矿工kuànggōngminer礦工
金矿jīnkuànggold mine金礦
矿泉水kuàngquánshuǐmineral spring water礦泉水
矿井kuàngjǐnga mine礦井
矿山kuàngshānmine礦山
矿石kuàngshíore礦石
矿物kuàngwùmineral礦物
矿产kuàngchǎnminerals礦產
采矿cǎikuàngmining採礦
矿物质kuàngwùzhìmineral, esp. dietary mineral礦物質
矿业kuàngyèmining industry礦業
矿区kuàngqūmining site礦區
铁矿石tiěkuàngshíiron ore鐵礦石
铁矿tiěkuàngiron ore鐵礦
铜矿tóngkuàngcopper mine銅礦
矿坑kuàngkēngmine礦坑
矿泉kuàngquánmineral spring礦泉
厂矿chǎngkuàngfactories and mines廠礦
Exercise 1 of 4
Words with 矿
What does 煤矿 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 矿
矿 (kuàng) and 礦 are essentially the same word, with 矿 being the simplified character and 礦 the traditional form. Simplified characters are more commonly used in mainland China, while traditional characters are used in places like Taiwan and Hong Kong.
矿 is pronounced as 'kuàng' in Mandarin. The pronunciation is important as it can affect the meaning of the word in different contexts.
矿 (kuàng) means 'ore' or 'mine' in Chinese. It refers to naturally occurring solid materials that can be extracted for various uses, such as metals and minerals. The character can also indicate a mining location where these ores are found.
You can use 矿 (kuàng) in a sentence like '我们去矿里工作' (Wǒmen qù kuàng lǐ gōngzuò), which means 'We go to work at the mine.' This shows how the character is used in the context of mining activities.
矿 is a simplified character commonly used in Mainland China, while 礦 is the traditional form used in Taiwan and Hong Kong.
You can use it in a sentence like: '这个地区富含矿' (zhège dìqū fùhán kuàng) meaning 'This area is rich in minerals.'
Common collocations include 矿石 (ore), 矿业 (mining industry), and 矿物 (minerals).
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