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Kotomora

楼

watchtower, lookout, high building

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 5,000Strokes13

Readings

On'yomi

  • ロウ

Kun'yomi

  • たかどの

Meaning

楼 centers on a tall, multi-story structure used for observation: a watchtower, lookout, or any high building.

Most common words using 楼

20 of 41
  • 楼ろう

    tower; tall building; belvedere

  • 摩天楼まてんろう

    skyscraper

  • 蜃気楼しんきろう

    mirage

  • 楼閣ろうかく

    multistoried building; castle; palace; shrine

  • 鐘楼しょうろう

    belfry; bell tower

  • 楼門ろうもん

    two-storied gate; tower gate

  • 上位蜃気楼じょういしんきろう

    superior mirage

  • 下位蜃気楼かいしんきろう

    inferior mirage

  • 井楼せいろう

    wooden watchtower; battlefield watchtower

  • 土楼どろう

    tulou (traditional rural dwelling in Fujian, China)

  • 城楼じょうろう

    watchtower of a castle

  • 塔楼とうろう

    tall building

  • 大廈高楼たいかこうろう

    large building and lofty tower; splendid (magnificent, palatial) structure

  • 妓楼ぎろう

    brothel

  • 娼楼しょうろう

    brothel

  • 層楼そうろう

    tall building

  • 望楼ぼうろう

    watchtower; observation tower; lookout

  • 望火楼ぼうかろう

    fire lookout; (fire) watchtower

  • 楼上ろうじょう

    on top of a tall building; balcony; upper floor

  • 楼主ろうしゅ

    owner of a brothel or restaurant

Explore all words using 楼 →

Study

Etymology

楼 combines 木 (wood) with 娄, which likely contributes the sound and the idea of a tall structure. The character originally referred to a wooden watchtower or multi-story building.

Meaning mnemonic

The left side is wood 木, and the right side 娄 looks like a tall framework with a roof. Picture a wooden tower rising high above the trees for a lookout.

Reading mnemonic

For ロウ, imagine a low wooden tower that is actually a watchtower: low -> ロウ, and the tower stands tall despite its name.