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JLPT N214画 · 14 strokesradical 穴freq #2500

cave, den

On'yomi (音読み)

  • クツ

Kun'yomi (訓読み)

Mnemonic

A moon (月) shines down through the hole (穴) of a cave, illuminating the hidden den within.

About this kanji

The kanji 「窟」 primarily means "cave" or "den" and is mostly used in compound words rather than as a standalone term, typically showing up in nouns. One common compound is 洞窟 (どうくつ), meaning "cave," which refers to natural underground spaces. Another example is 密閉の窟 (みっぺいのくつ), translating to "sealed cave," suggesting a cave that is airtight or closed off. Additionally, 獣窟 (じゅうくつ) means "den of beasts," and it often refers to a place where wild animals dwell. Note that this kanji does not have a native Japanese reading, so it's used mainly in the context of Japanese words derived from Chinese.

Built from

Example sentences

  • その洞窟には神秘的な雰囲気がある。

    That cave has a mysterious atmosphere.

Meanings across languages

English
cave, den
Tiếng Việt
hang động, căn phòng
日本語
洞窟, ほらあな
한국어
동굴, 굴
中文
洞穴, 兽穴
id
gua, sarang
th
ถ้ำ, รัง
es
cueva, guarida
fr
caverne, den
de
Höhle, Bau
pt
caverna, toca

Common compounds

  • 洞窟どうくつcave
  • 密閉の窟みっぺいのくつsealed cave
  • 獣窟じゅうくつden of beasts

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