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Kotomora

穀

cereals, grain

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · grade 6FrequencyTop 2,000Strokes14

Readings

On'yomi

  • コク

Kun'yomi

—

Nanori

  • たけ

Meaning

穀 centers on staple food grains: cereals and grain crops. It refers to the harvested seeds that form the basis of many diets.

Most common words using 穀

20 of 34
  • 穀物こくもつ
    N3

    grain; cereal; corn

  • 雑穀ざっこく

    assorted grains; cereals

  • 穀類こくるい

    grains

  • 脱穀だっこく

    threshing (e.g. rice)

  • 五穀豊穣ごこくほうじょう

    huge harvest (of the five grains); bumper crop; abundant crop

  • 五穀ごこく

    the five grains (wheat, rice, beans, millet (awa and kibi))

  • 穀潰しごくつぶし

    good-for-nothing; parasite; deadbeat; loafer; drone; idler

  • 米穀べいこく

    rice

  • 穀倉こくそう

    granary

  • 九穀きゅうこく

    the nine grains

  • 仙人穀せんにんこく

    love-lies-bleeding (Amaranthus caudatus); tassel flower; velvet flower; foxtail amaranth

  • 全粒穀物ぜんりゅうこくもつ

    whole grains

  • 新穀しんこく

    new grain

  • 旧穀きゅうこく

    old grain

  • 沙穀サゴ

    sago (edible sago palm starch)

  • 熨斗目穀蛾のしめこくが

    Indian meal moth (Plodia interpunctella); indianmeal moth; pantry moth; North American high-flyer

  • 禾穀かこく

    rice

  • 禾穀類かこくるい

    cereal crops

  • 穀価こっか

    price of grain

  • 穀倉地帯こくそうちたい

    grain-producing region

Explore all words using 穀 →

Study

Etymology

穀 combines 殳 (a hand holding a tool) with a left side that historically relates to grain or crops. The exact development of the left component is uncertain, but the character is associated with harvested grain.

Meaning mnemonic

The left side looks like a plant with a protective cover (士 and 冖) over grains (禾), while the right side 殳 suggests a tool used to harvest or process them. Together, 穀 is grain.

Reading mnemonic

For コク, imagine a cook preparing a big pot of grain: cook -> コク, and the cook uses a tool (殳) to stir the grains.