窪
depression, cave in, sink, become hollow
Readings
On'yomi
- ワ
- ア
Kun'yomi
- くぼ.む
- くぼ.み
- くぼ.まる
- くぼ
Meaning
窪 centers on a sunken or hollowed-out space: a depression in the ground, a surface caving in, or something becoming hollow. The idea applies to physical dips and metaphorical sinking.
Most common words using 窪
- 窪くぼ
hollow; cavity; sunken place
- 窪むくぼむ
to cave in; to become depressed; to sink
- 曲窪きょくわ
downwarp
- 痘痕も笑窪あばたもえくぼ
love is blind; (when in love) even pockmarks are dimples
- 盆の窪ぼんのくぼ
hollow at nape of the neck
- 窪まるくぼまる
to cave in; to become depressed; to sink
- 窪地くぼち
hollow; low ground; basin; pit; dip; depression
- 窪溜まりくぼたまり
hollow; pond in a hollow
- 落ち窪むおちくぼむ
to sink in; to cave in
- 落窪物語おちくぼものがたり
Ochikubo Monogatari; The Tale of Ochikubo (Heian period Cinderella story)
Study
Etymology
窪 combines 穴 (hole, cavity) with 洼, which likely contributes both sound and the idea of a hollow or depression. The structure suggests a hole that sinks or caves in.
Meaning mnemonic
The top 穴 is a hole, and the bottom 洼 looks like water (氵) over earth (土) with legs (儿) sinking in. Picture a water-filled hole in the ground where the earth is caving in, creating a depression.
Reading mnemonic
For ワ, imagine a deep depression filling with water: water -> ワ, and the hole (穴) becomes a hollow pool.