HSK 7, n, 10 strokes, radical 耒, rank #21602, Very Hard
耕
gēng
to till
HSK 7, unknown, 10 strokes, radical 耒, rank #21602, Very 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#21602DifficultyVery Hard
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.
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.
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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Phonosemantic compound. 耒 represents the meaning and 井 represents the sound. Simplified form of 畊.
1The meaning half耒 carries the sense.
2The sound half井 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawayplow
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 耕? 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 耕?
Decomposition of 耕
IDS Structure⿰耒井
耕Full Character
=
耒lei3
left
井Jing3
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 耕?
How to say to plow, to cultivate in Chinese
“to plow, to cultivate” in Chinese is耕gēng
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.
When to use 耕
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.
耕 or something close to it
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.
What learners get wrong
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.
Write 耕
耕
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Practice writing 耕 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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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)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
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?
