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Kotomora

抉

gouge, hollow out, bore, pry

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Readings

On'yomi

  • ケツ

Kun'yomi

  • えぐ.る
  • こじ.る
  • くじ.る

Meaning

抉 centers on forcefully removing material from inside something: gouging, hollowing out, boring a hole, or prying something loose.

Most common words using 抉

  • 抉るえぐる

    to gouge; to hollow out; to bore; to excavate; to scoop out

  • 抉るくじる

    to stick into and move around; to dig around in; to pick (i.e. one's teeth)

  • 抉るこじる

    to pry (open); to prise; to wrench

  • 剔抉てっけつ

    gouging out

  • 抉じるこじる

    to pry (open); to prise; to wrench

  • 抉れるえぐれる

    to be gouged; to be hollowed; to become hollow

Explore all words using 抉 →

Study

Etymology

抉 combines 扌 (hand) with 夬, which likely contributes the sound and may relate to the idea of separating or removing. The exact historical development of 夬 is uncertain.

Meaning mnemonic

The hand radical 扌 beside 夬 suggests a hand using a tool to gouge or hollow out material. Picture a hand gripping a chisel and prying out a chunk of wood.

Reading mnemonic

For ケツ, imagine gouging out a hole and finding a ketchup packet inside: ketchup -> ケツ, and the hand pries it out.