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洞窟 (どうくつ) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

洞どう窟くつ

ど

う

く

つ

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

1

noun

cave; cavern; grotto

General term for a natural underground hollow or cavity, often with an opening to the surface.

その洞どう窟くつは観かん光こう客きゃくに人にん気きがある。
That cave is popular with tourists.
洞どう窟くつの

中なか

で

コウモリ

を

見み

つけ

た

。

I found bats inside the cave.

Written forms

洞どう窟くつUsage97%
Standard kanji spelling; high-frequency in news and general use.
洞どうくつUsage2%
search-only kanji form
Search-only form; not a standard written variant.
どうくつUsage1%

Kanji

洞den, cave, excavation
窟cavern

Similar words

洞ほら穴あな
洞穴 is a more general term for a hollow or cavity, often smaller and less formal than 洞窟, which implies a larger, more impressive cavern.
鍾しょう乳にゅう洞どう
鍾乳洞 specifically refers to a limestone cave with stalactites and stalagmites, a type of 洞窟.

Etymology

Compound of 洞 (dō, 'hollow') + 窟 (kutsu, 'cavern'). Both kanji independently mean 'cave' or 'hollow', and the combination reinforces the meaning of a large underground cavity.