Skip to content
Kotomora

窟

cavern

StatusJōyō · secondary schoolStrokes13

Readings

On'yomi

  • クツ
  • コツ

Kun'yomi

  • いわや
  • いはや
  • あな

Meaning

窟 centers on a hollow space inside rock or earth: a cavern or cave.

Most common words using 窟

  • 洞窟どうくつ

    cave; cavern; grotto

  • 巣窟そうくつ

    den; haunt; hangout; nest; lair

  • 石窟せっくつ

    cavern; grotto; rock cave

  • 魔窟まくつ

    den of vice; rogue's den

  • 岩窟がんくつ

    cave; cavern

  • 仙窟せんくつ

    enchanted cave

  • 宝窟ほうくつ

    treasure mine

  • 巌窟王がんくつおう

    The Count of Monte Cristo (novel by Alexandre Dumas)

  • 水琴窟すいきんくつ

    buried earthen jar that makes sound when water drips into it (garden feature)

  • 洞窟の女王どうくつのじょおう

    She: a History of Adventure (1887 novel by H. Rider Haggard)

  • 洞窟壁画どうくつへきが

    cave painting

  • 洞窟潜水どうくつせんすい

    cave diving

  • 洞窟熊ほらあなぐま

    cave bear (extinct, Ursus spelaeus)

  • 狡兎三窟こうとさんくつ

    very shrewd in preparing a means of escape; being very good at escaping danger

  • 私娼窟ししょうくつ

    brothel; house of ill repute; red-light district

  • 窟院くついん

    cave temple

  • 貧民窟ひんみんくつ

    slum

  • 阿片窟あへんくつ

    opium den

Explore all words using 窟 →

Study

Etymology

窟 combines 穴 (hole, cave) with 屈, which likely contributes the sound and the idea of bending or crouching, suggesting a space one must crouch to enter.

Meaning mnemonic

The top 穴 is a cave opening, and the bottom 屈 looks like a person bending to enter. Picture crouching down to go into a cavern.

Reading mnemonic

For クツ, imagine putting on your boots (クツ) before exploring a dark cavern: boots -> クツ, and you need them to walk through the cave.