煤矿 (méi kuàng) literally combines 煤 (méi), meaning 'coal', and 矿 (kuàng), meaning 'mine' or 'ore deposit'. Together, it refers to a location where coal is extracted from the earth — either the physical mining site (e.g., shafts, tunnels, surface pits) or, less commonly, the geological coal deposit itself. It is a compound noun used primarily in industrial, economic, geographic, and news contexts.

In everyday usage, 煤矿 most often denotes an operational coal mining facility — for example, 'a state-run coal mine' or 'an illegal small-scale coal mine'. It appears frequently in discussions about energy policy, workplace safety, environmental impact, and regional development, especially in northern and western China. While technically neutral, the term often carries connotations of labor intensity, risk, and socioeconomic significance in resource-dependent areas.