塚
hillock, mound
Readings
On'yomi
- チョウ
Kun'yomi
- つか
- -づか
Nanori
- ずか
- つ
Meaning
塚 centers on a raised pile of earth: a small hill, mound, or burial mound. The idea is a man-made or natural heap of soil.
Most common words using 塚
20 of 39- 塚つか
mound; heap; hillock
- 貝塚かいづか
shell heap; shell mound; kitchen midden
- 宝塚歌劇団たからづかかげきだん
Takarazuka Revue
- 大塚家具おおつかかぐ
Ōtsuka Kagu, Ltd
- 大塚製薬おおつかせいやく
Otsuka Pharmaceutical
- 高塚たかつか
tumulus; burial mound
- 一里塚いちりづか
milestone (1 ri apart)
- 蟻塚ありづか
anthill
- モグラ塚モグラづか
molehill; mole mound
- 三里塚闘争さんりづかとうそう
Sanrizuka Struggle; campaign against the construction of Narita airport
- 供養塚くようづか
unknown person's grave
- 円塚まるづか
round burial mound
- 塚を築くつかをきずく
to pile up a mound
- 塚穴つかあな
grave
- 塚造つかつくり
megapode (any bird of family Megapodiidae, incl. brush turkeys and mallee fowl); mound builder
- 塵塚ちりづか
rubbish heap; garbage dump
- 大塚国際美術館おおつかこくさいびじゅつかん
Otsuka Museum of Art
- 宝塚医療大学たからづかいりょうだいがく
Takarazuka University of Medical and Health Care
- 宝塚大学たからづかだいがく
Takarazuka University
- 宝塚線たからづかせん
Takarazuka Line
Study
Etymology
塚 combines 土 (earth) with 冢, which likely contributes both sound and the idea of a mound or grave. The character is used for earthen mounds, especially burial mounds.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side is earth 土, and the right side 冢 looks like a mound with a cover and something buried inside. Picture a small hill of dirt piled up to mark a grave.
Reading mnemonic
For チョウ, imagine a long-serving chief named Chou standing on top of a mound, surveying the land: Chou -> チョウ, and the mound is his lookout point.