How to Write 矿 (kuàng) — Meaning “mine; mineral; ore”

Imagine a wide (广) open mine with stones (石) scattered around — the picture of a 'wide stone pit' helps recall the meaning of mine. Alternatively, think of a stone under a wide shelter, like a mining tunnel entrance.

Write the left radical 石 first: horizontal, left-falling, horizontal, vertical, horizontal. Then add 广: dot, horizontal, left-falling. A common mistake is making the 广 part too narrow — keep the left-falling stroke long enough to cover the 石 underneath. Also ensure the dot of 广 is placed above and slightly left of the horizontal.

All three have the 石 radical, but their right components differ. 矿 uses 广 and means 'mine' or 'ore.' 矶 has 几 (jī) and means 'rocky shore' or 'rock formation.' 矸 has 干 (gān) and means 'waste rock' or 'gangue' in mining. Visually, 矿 has a wider right side, while 矶 and 矸 have simpler, narrower components.

矿 commonly appears in words like 煤矿 (coal mine), 金矿 (gold mine), and 矿泉水 (mineral water), which is a popular bottled drink. It is also used in terms for mining professionals, such as 矿工 (miner). Culturally, 矿 reflects China's long history of mining and its modern resource-based economy.

Common words containing 矿 include: 矿泉水 (kuàng quán shuǐ) — mineral water; 矿工 (kuàng gōng) — miner; 铁矿 (tiě kuàng) — iron ore.