窟
cavern
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
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.