dried-up waterfall; dry waterfall
Refers to a waterfall that has lost its water, often seasonally or due to drought. The spelling 涸滝 is especially associated with this sense.
By the end of summer, that dried-up waterfall had completely lost its water.
simulated waterfall in a dry garden
A landscape feature in a Japanese dry garden (枯山水) that represents a waterfall using stones and gravel, without actual water. The spelling 枯滝 is especially associated with this sense.
In this dry landscape garden, there is a stone arrangement representing a simulated waterfall.
Common spelling for both senses; especially used for the dry-garden waterfall sense.
Preferred spelling for the dried-up waterfall sense, emphasizing waterlessness.
Variant with okurigana; less common but still encountered.
Variant with okurigana for the dried-up waterfall sense.
Compound of 枯れ (kare, 'dried up') + 滝 (taki, 'waterfall'). The kanji 涸 specifically means 'dry up' (of water), while 枯 means 'wither' (of plants) but is also used for drying up. The spelling 枯滝 is conventional for the garden feature.