Chinese word

开垦

Pronunciation

Pinyinkāi kěn

Meaning

  • verbcultivate

Example

爸爸在山坡上开垦了一块地。bà bà zài shān pō shàng kāi kěn le yí kuài dì

Dad cultivated a plot of land on the hillside.

Illustration for 开垦 (cultivate)

More examples

许多志愿者去河边开垦了一片盐碱地。xǔ duō zhì yuàn zhě qù hé biān kāi kěn le yí piàn yán jiǎn dì

Many volunteers went to the riverside to reclaim a patch of saline-alkali land.

Core concept

A natural or neglected plot is turned into a productive field by physical work on the land.

Common phrases

  • 开垦荒地kāi kěn huāng dì

    reclaim wasteland

  • 开垦盐碱地kāi kěn yán jiǎn dì

    reclaim saline-alkali land

  • 开垦山坡地kāi kěn shān pō dì

    reclaim hillside land

Similar words

开荒kāi huāng: Clear wasteland or open country and make it available for human use.
开拓kāi tuò: Expand into new areas or fields of activity and create new opportunities.
开发kāi fā: Develop land, resources, or a business in an organized way to increase its value.
耕种gēng zhòng: Till the soil and plant and grow crops.

Definition in Chinese

将荒废或坡地等的杂草、石块清除并翻松土壤，将其改造成可供耕种的田地。jiāng huāng fèi huò pō dì děng de zá cǎo shí kuài qīng chú bìng fān sōng tú rǎng jiāng qí gǎi zào chéng kě gōng gēng zhòng de tián dì

Word origin

The compound 开 (kāi, "open") + 垦 (kěn, "reclaim land") gives the picture of opening a space and preparing its soil for farming.

Usage tips

  • The word describes creating farmland rather than merely planting or tending crops, so it fits the stage before regular cultivation begins.

Other meanings

  • developverb

Opposites

  • 荒废huāng fèiabandonverb
  • 撂荒liào huāngleave fallowverb

Related words

  • 开垦者kāi kěn zhěland reclamation workernoun
  • 开垦地kāi kěn dìreclaimed landnoun

Word lists with this word