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

<blockquote>
  <p>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。</p>
</blockquote>

<p>See in <a href="https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%A4%A9%E5%9D%91" rel="nofollow">wikipedia</a>.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-09-24T03:21:24.880Z
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
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-09-24T05:48:46.457Z
@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.
daxvwv
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-09-24T03:01:03.403Z
2016-09-24T03:01:03.403Z
daxvwv
<p>@Gangosa In gaming community among Chineses, 天坑 also means low-skilled players and trolls. It's just another interesting fact.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-09-25T00:32:13.003Z
Well as far as poker or chess are concerned, 我是天坑的！
Gangosa
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-09-25T02:39:37.107Z
@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
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-09-25T11:39:26.030Z
Cool, thanks, I'll try to remember that, but I have enough trouble trying to remember normal Chinese!
Gangosa
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-09-25T00:18:35.440Z
2016-09-25T00:18:35.440Z
BrokenCodex
<p>Not a potholer myself, I'm not up on the technical terminolgy. Is 天坑 a sinkhole, or is there some other technical term?</p>

<terminology>
Is the potholing term for 天坑 sinkhole?
# Is the potholing term for 天坑 sinkhole?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-09-24)

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

**Tags:** terminology


---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2016-09-24. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

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。

See in [wikipedia](https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%A4%A9%E5%9D%91).

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: 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!  
> **username_1**: @username_0 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.  

---

### Answer by username_2 on 2016-09-25. Score: 1

@username_0 In gaming community among Chineses, 天坑 also means low-skilled players and trolls. It's just another interesting fact.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Well as far as poker or chess are concerned, 我是天坑的！  
> **username_3**: @username_0 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.  
> **username_0**: Cool, thanks, I'll try to remember that, but I have enough trouble trying to remember normal Chinese!  

---

