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March 24, 2026
挖wā(wa1)
The character 挖 (wā) means 'to dig' or 'to excavate.' It is commonly used in contexts relating to physical digging, such as in construction or gardening, as well as metaphorically for exploring or uncovering information. The nuance often implies a deliberate action to remove or uncover something from a surface.
Strokes9Radical扌Frequency#1591DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, digging can symbolize the effort of uncovering truth or potential, often associated with agricultural practices. This reflects the importance of farming and land cultivation in Chinese history.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person with a shovel (the radical 扌, meaning hand) digging into the ground and uncovering treasures. The sound 'wā' can be remembered as a joyful exclamation when they find something valuable, making it easier to connect the action of digging with the character.
Meanings of 挖
wā(wa1)
1to dig
2to excavate
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 挖
挖Simplified
9Strokes
扌Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#1591Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRC1
Podcast: 挖
Podcast: 挖
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AI Study Notes for 挖
Quick Contrast
挖 (wā) vs 掘 (jué) — use 挖 when referring to physical digging, while 掘 is often used for deeper excavation or mining.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 挖 with other similar verbs like '挖掘' (wājue) which means 'to excavate' in a more formal context. This word is informal and often used in everyday conversations, especially in practical situations like gardening or construction. The fourth tone should be pronounced clearly to avoid confusion with other similar-sounding words.
HSK Study Tips
Although 挖 is not in the official HSK vocabulary lists, it relates well to other action verbs at HSK 2 and 3 levels, such as '买' (mǎi, to buy) and '卖' (mài, to sell). Students should focus on the context in which they can use 挖 and practice its application in sentences.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mix up 挖 with '挖掘' (wājue) when they want to convey the action of digging in a formal context. Instead, use 挖 for casual situations and reserve 挖掘 for more serious discussions or contexts.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 挖
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1The giveawayTo dig out 扌 a hollow 穵; 穵 also provides the pronunciation
2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 挖? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 挖?
Decomposition of 挖
IDS Structure⿰扌穵
挖Full Character
=
扌shou3
left
穵wa1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 挖?
How to say to dig in Chinese
“to dig” in Chinese is挖wā
The character 挖 (wā) means 'to dig' or 'to excavate.' It is commonly used in contexts relating to physical digging, such as in construction or gardening, as well as metaphorically for exploring or uncovering information. The nuance often implies a deliberate action to remove or uncover something from a surface.
When to use 挖
Be careful not to confuse 挖 with other similar verbs like '挖掘' (wājue) which means 'to excavate' in a more formal context. This word is informal and often used in everyday conversations, especially in practical situations like gardening or construction. The fourth tone should be pronounced clearly to avoid confusion with other similar-sounding words.
挖 or something close to it
挖 (wā) vs 掘 (jué) — use 挖 when referring to physical digging, while 掘 is often used for deeper excavation or mining.
What learners get wrong
Learners often mix up 挖 with '挖掘' (wājue) when they want to convey the action of digging in a formal context. Instead, use 挖 for casual situations and reserve 挖掘 for more serious discussions or contexts.
Write 挖
挖
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Practice writing 挖 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 挖
挖 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. 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.
