洞
den, cave, excavation
Readings
On'yomi
- ドウ
Kun'yomi
- ほら
Nanori
- とう
Meaning
洞 centers on a hollow space underground or in a surface: a cave or den. The excavation sense is the act of making such a hollow.
Most common words using 洞
20 of 56- 洞窟どうくつ
cave; cavern; grotto
- 洞ほら
hollow; cavity; hole; cave
- 空洞くうどう
cavity; hollow; cave; cavern
- 洞察どうさつN1
discernment; insight
- 洞穴ほらあな
cave; cavern; den; grotto
- 鍾乳洞しょうにゅうどう
limestone cave; limestone cavern
- 曹洞宗そうとうしゅう
Soto school (of Zen Buddhism)
- 雪洞ぼんぼり
paper-covered lamp or lantern
- 風洞ふうどう
wind tunnel
- 洞察力どうさつりょくN1
insight; discernment; perception; perspicacity; acumen
- 仙洞せんとう
residence of a retired emperor; dwelling of a former emperor
- 仙洞御所せんとうごしょ
palace of a retired emperor
- 冠状静脈洞かんじょうじょうみゃくどう
coronary sinus
- 冠静脈洞かんじょうみゃくどう
coronary sinus
- 台湾小洞燕たいわんしょうどうつばめ
brown-throated martin (Riparia paludicola); brown-throated sand martin
- 小洞燕しょうどうつばめ
sand martin (Riparia riparia)
- 晶洞しょうどう
druse; globular calcium oxalate crystals, often lining a rock cavity
- 晶洞石しょうどうせき
geode
- 曹洞禅そうとうぜん
Soto Zen
- 樹洞じゅどう
tree hollow; hollow in a tree
Study
Etymology
洞 combines 氵 (water) with 同, which likely contributes the sound and the idea of a hollow or passage. The character suggests a water-worn hollow space.
Meaning mnemonic
Water 氵 flowing through a hollow passage 同 creates a cave or den. Picture a stream carving out a deep cave over time.
Reading mnemonic
For ドウ, imagine a deep cave echoing with the sound 'doh' when you shout into it: doh -> ドウ, and the hollow cave amplifies the sound.