耕 gēng to plow
to plow; to cultivate; to till
怎么记住“耕”: 耒 plow + 井 a well = to plow. The farmer drags his old plow past a well in the middle of the field, because the dry spring soil is too hard to plow.
部件结构
形声 · Meaning + sound
One part gives the meaning, the other gives the sound.
耕 = 耒 plow + 井 a well
- 耒 plow meaning
- 井 a well sound
The farmer drags his old plow past a well in the middle of the field, because the dry spring soil is too hard to plow.
How it came to be
The plow gives the meaning and the well the sound.
用法
- To plow/till the land: 耕地 (gēngdì) to plow / arable land, 耕种 (gēngzhòng) to cultivate, 精耕细作 (jīnggēng-xìzuò) intensive careful farming.
- Extends metaphorically to diligent labor: 笔耕 (bǐgēng) to earn a living by writing, 耕耘 (gēngyún) to toil (see next).