HSK 7, nrt, 7 strokes, radical 土, rank #9731, Very Hard
坎
kǎn
threshold
HSK 7, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 土, rank #9731, Very Hard
坎
kǎn
one of the Eight Trigrams 八卦[ba1 gua4], symbolizing water
HSK 7, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 土, rank #9731, Very Hard
坎
kǎn
☵
HSK 7, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 土, rank #9731, Very Hard
kǎn(kan3) T3
1pit, hole; to trap, to snare; crisis
2threshold
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
坎kǎn(kan3)
The character 坎 (kǎn) primarily refers to a pit or hole, often symbolizing a state of being trapped or ensnared. It can also denote a crisis or threshold, representing challenges one may face. In the context of the Eight Trigrams, it symbolizes water and the concept of depth and danger.
Strokes7Radical土Frequency#9731DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese philosophy, 坎 is one of the Eight Trigrams used in the I Ching (易经), which plays a significant role in traditional Chinese thought, fortune-telling, and decision-making.
Memory Tip
Imagine a deep pit (坎) that traps you inside. The top part '土' (earth) represents the ground, while the bottom part '艮' (gen) suggests a boundary or limit, evoking the feeling of being stuck. The pronunciation 'kǎn' can be remembered by picturing a can of water that has fallen into this pit.
Meanings of 坎
kǎn(kan3)
1pit, hole; to trap, to snare; crisis
2threshold
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 坎
坎Simplified
7Strokes
土Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2
Podcast: 坎
Podcast: 坎
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AI Study Notes for 坎
Quick Contrast
坎 (kǎn) vs 陷 (xiàn) — use 坎 for a pit or hole, while 陷 refers to being trapped in a more figurative sense.
Usage Notes
Avoid confusing 坎 (kǎn) with similar characters like 坐 (zuò), which means 'to sit.' This word is often used in formal contexts, especially in discussions about philosophy or the I Ching (易经). Be mindful of the third tone in pronunciation, as it can easily be mispronounced.
HSK Study Tips
While 坎 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it offers a good opportunity to connect with characters related to water or crisis. Students should focus on recognizing its use in literary and philosophical texts, as well as its relationship to the Eight Trigrams.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 坎 (kǎn) with the character 砍 (kǎn), which means 'to cut.' Another mistake is mispronouncing it as first or second tone instead of the correct third tone.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 坎
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Phonosemantic compound. 土 represents the meaning and 欠 represents the sound. Simplified form of 埳.
1The meaning half土 carries the sense.
2The sound half欠 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawayearth
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 坎? 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 坎?
Decomposition of 坎
IDS Structure⿰土欠
坎Full Character
=
土Tu3
left
欠qian4
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 坎?
How to say pit, hole; to trap, to snare; crisis in Chinese
“pit, hole; to trap, to snare; crisis” in Chinese is坎kǎn
The character 坎 (kǎn) primarily refers to a pit or hole, often symbolizing a state of being trapped or ensnared. It can also denote a crisis or threshold, representing challenges one may face. In the context of the Eight Trigrams, it symbolizes water and the concept of depth and danger.
When to use 坎
Avoid confusing 坎 (kǎn) with similar characters like 坐 (zuò), which means 'to sit.' This word is often used in formal contexts, especially in discussions about philosophy or the I Ching (易经). Be mindful of the third tone in pronunciation, as it can easily be mispronounced.
坎 or something close to it
坎 (kǎn) vs 陷 (xiàn) — use 坎 for a pit or hole, while 陷 refers to being trapped in a more figurative sense.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 坎 (kǎn) with the character 砍 (kǎn), which means 'to cut.' Another mistake is mispronouncing it as first or second tone instead of the correct third tone.
Write 坎
坎
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Practice writing 坎 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 坎
坎 carries 4 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
____贝尔公司的总裁退休后，麦戈文被选定为继任者。
When the chairman of Campbell's retired, McGovern was named as his successor.
