HSK 7, n, 10 strokes, radical 耒, rank #21602, Hard
耕
gēng
to till
HSK 7, unknown, 10 strokes, radical 耒, rank #21602, Hard
gēng(geng1) T1
1to plow, to cultivate
2to till
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March 24, 2026
耕(畊)gēng(geng1)
The character 耕 (gēng) refers to the act of plowing or cultivating land for agricultural purposes. It is commonly used in contexts related to farming, agriculture, and the labor involved in preparing soil for crops. This character emphasizes the hard work and effort required in the agricultural process.
Strokes10Radical耒Frequency#21602DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
Agriculture has deep roots in Chinese culture, and the practice of 耕 reflects the importance of farming in sustaining communities. Festivals like the Spring Festival often celebrate the start of the farming season, highlighting the significance of cultivation.
Memory Tip
Imagine a farmer (耕) with a plow (the horizontal line at the bottom) pushing through the soil. The sound 'gēng' resembles the sound of a plow cutting through the earth, helping you remember both the meaning and pronunciation.
Meanings of 耕
gēng(geng1)
1to plow, to cultivate
2to till
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 耕
耕Simplified
畊Traditional
10Strokes
耒Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#21602Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7
Podcast: 耕
Podcast: 耕
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AI Study Notes for 耕
Quick Contrast
耕 (gēng) vs 种 (zhòng) — use 耕 when referring specifically to the act of plowing or preparing land, while 种 focuses on the act of planting seeds.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a farmer (耕) with a plow (the horizontal line at the bottom) pushing through the soil. The sound 'gēng' resembles the sound of a plow cutting through the earth, helping you remember both the meaning and pronunciation.
Usage Notes
When using 耕, it is important to be mindful of its context in agricultural discussions. Common collocations include 耕地 (gēngdì), meaning 'to plow the land.' Avoid confusion with similar-sounding terms by paying attention to the tone; gēng is pronounced with a high level tone.
HSK Study Tips
While 耕 is not an HSK vocabulary word, it connects to HSK Level 2 words related to nature and agriculture, such as 土 (tǔ, soil) and 农 (nóng, farming). Students should focus on understanding its usage in agricultural contexts to enhance vocabulary retention.
Cultural Note
Agriculture has deep roots in Chinese culture, and the practice of 耕 reflects the importance of farming in sustaining communities. Festivals like the Spring Festival often celebrate the start of the farming season, highlighting the significance of cultivation.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 耕 with other similar characters like 耕种 (gēng zhǒng), which means 'to sow.' Remember that 耕 focuses specifically on the act of plowing. Another mistake is mispronouncing it; ensure you use the correct high tone, gēng.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 耕
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Grammar Patterns of 耕
耕 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 2 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
Complete the Sentence
山间的一小块____地是不可能养活一大家人的。
A smallholding in the hills could not support a large family.
Example Sentences for 耕 (10)
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1
山间的一小块耕地是不可能养活一大家人的。
shān jiān de yī xiǎo kuài gēng dì shì bù kě néng yǎng huó yī dà jiā rén de。
A smallholding in the hills could not support a large family.
2
他有将近1,000公顷的草场和耕地。
tā yǒu jiāng jìn1,000 1,000 gōng qǐng de cǎo cháng hé gēng。
He had nearly a thousand acres of grazing and arable land.
3
他们会在其余土地上实施较轻程度的集约化耕种吗？
tā mén huì zài qí yú tǔ dì shàng shí shī jiào qīng chéng dù de jí yuē huà gēng zhǒng ma？
Will they farm the rest of their land less intensively?
They will revert to tilling the earth in an old-fashioned way.
6
一分耕耘, 一分收获.
yī fēn gēng yún, , yī fēn shōu.
The more ploughing and weeding, the better the crop.
7
这样高的产量主要是通过改良耕作方法取得的.
zhè yàng gāo de chǎn liáng zhǔ yào shì tōng guò gǎi liáng gēng zuò fāng fǎ qǔ dé de.
These high yields have been achieved largely through better methods of cultivation.
8
大家都很忙, 男的耕田, 女的织布.
dà jiā dū hěn máng, , nán de gēng, tián , nǚ de.
All were busily engaged, men at their ploughs , women at their looms.
9
我们向无耕地者分发同等面积的土地。
wǒ mén xiàng wú gēng dì zhě fēn fā tóng děng miàn jī de tǔ dì。
We are giving an equal area of land to the landless.
10
睡意降临到他们劳困的眼皮上,如同柔和的春雨落在新翻耕的地里.
shuì yì jiàng lín dào tā mén láo kùn de yǎn pí shàng, , rú tóng róu hé de chūn yǔ luò zài xīn fān gēng de dì.
Slumber fell on their tired eyelids like the light rain of spring upon the freshturned earth.
Cultural Notes for 耕
🏮Cultural insight
Agriculture has deep roots in Chinese culture, and the practice of 耕 reflects the importance of farming in sustaining communities. Festivals like the Spring Festival often celebrate the start of the farming season, highlighting the significance of cultivation.
Word Family of 耕
Words Containing This Character20
耕地gēngdìarable land
耕gēngto plow
耕耘farm work
耕种to till耕種
耕作farming
春耕to plow a field in the spring
耕田to cultivate soil
笔耕to make a living by writing筆耕
备耕to make preparations for plowing and sowing備耕
深耕deep plowing
精耕细作intensive farming精耕細作
秋耕autumn plowing
耕畜draft animal
翻耕to plow
耕读to be both a farmer and a scholar耕讀
冬耕winter plowing
刀耕火种slash and burn (agriculture)刀耕火種
可耕地cultivable
农耕farming農耕
耕者有其田"land to the tiller", post-Liberation land reform movement instigated by the CCP
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 耕地 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 耕
It is pronounced as gēng, with a high level tone.
No, 耕 specifically refers to agricultural activities like plowing and is not used in other contexts.
A common phrase is 耕地 (gēngdì), which means 'to plow the land'.
