Is the potholing term for 天坑 sinkhole?

Question

Not a potholer myself, I'm not up on the technical terminolgy. Is 天坑 a sinkhole, or is there some other technical term?

Soyaine · Accepted Answer · 2016-09-24 03:01:03Z

1

It's just 'Tiankeng', perhaps because this large karst topography exists mainly in China.

2005年，国际喀斯特天坑考察组在重庆、广西一带大规模考察后，“天坑”这个术语在国际喀斯特学术界获得了一致的认可，并开始用汉语拼音“Tiankeng”通行国际。这是继峰林（Fenglin）和峰丛（Fengcong）之后，第三个由中国人定义并用汉语和拼音命名的喀斯特地貌术语。

answered Sep 24 '16 at 3:01

Soyaine

714 bronze badges

Thanks! I bet not many people would know what that is if I used the word! Also, it might be fun to hear how non-Chinese say it!
– Gangosa
Sep 24 '16 at 3:21
@Gangosa It seems that some famous Tiankeng have been named with sinkhole, such as Minyé Sinkhole and Crveno Jezero Sinkhole. haha, maybe everyone just says the pinyin when says it.
– Soyaine
Sep 24 '16 at 5:48

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BrokenCodex · Accepted Answer · 2016-09-25 00:18:35Z

1

@Gangosa In gaming community among Chineses, 天坑 also means low-skilled players and trolls. It's just another interesting fact.

answered Sep 25 '16 at 0:18

BrokenCodex

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Well as far as poker or chess are concerned, 我是天坑的！
– Gangosa
Sep 25 '16 at 0:32
@Gangosa plus one more. 坑 can describe a project that is paused for a long time or that has not ended so far. To start a project is 挖坑 and to carry it on is 填坑. A big one is 天坑. A typical case is A song of ice and fire. 马丁挖了一个天坑，希望他在有生之年能把坑填上。George R.R. Martin dug a 天坑, I wish he can fill this 坑 before his last day.
– ElpieKay
Sep 25 '16 at 2:39
Cool, thanks, I'll try to remember that, but I have enough trouble trying to remember normal Chinese!
– Gangosa
Sep 25 '16 at 11:39

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