堀ほり

ほ

り

Common wordJLPTN3Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

1

noun

moat; fosse

Primarily a defensive water-filled trench around a castle or fortification. Also used in historical or metaphorical contexts.

城しろの周まわりには深ふかい堀ほりが巡めぐらされている。
A deep moat runs around the castle.

2

noun

canal

; ditch

General term for an artificial waterway, drainage ditch, or canal. Often used for smaller or non-defensive channels.

田たんぼの脇わきの堀ほりに水みずが流ながれている。
Water is flowing in the ditch beside the rice field.

Written forms

堀ほりUsage83%
Standard kanji for moat, canal, or ditch. High priority.
濠ほりUsage11%
Alternate kanji for moat, especially in historical contexts.
ホリUsage4%
ほりUsage2%
壕ほり
Alternate kanji for trench or dugout, sometimes used for moat.

Kanji

堀ditch, moat, canal
濠moat, ditch, canal
壕trench, dugout, air raid shelter

Similar words

溝みぞ
溝 is a narrower groove or gutter, often smaller and shallower than 堀. 堀 implies a larger, more substantial excavation, often water-filled.
運うん河が
運河 is a large-scale canal for transportation, while 堀 can refer to smaller canals or ditches, including moats.

Etymology

The kanji 堀 is a phono-semantic compound with 土 (earth) and 屈 (bend, yield), suggesting an excavated hollow. The reading ほり is native Japanese. The alternate forms 濠 and 壕 share the same reading and similar meanings, with 濠 often used specifically for moats and 壕 for trenches or dugouts.