楼
watchtower, lookout, high building
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
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.