also: かめあな
pothole; giant's kettle
A geological term for a cylindrical hole formed in bedrock by the abrasive action of stones and water currents, often found in riverbeds.
There are several large potholes in the upper reaches of this river.
Potholes are formed over many years by water currents and pebbles.
Standard kanji spelling for the geological term.
Kana spelling reflecting the reading かめあな, sometimes used in explanatory contexts.
The kanji 甌 means 'small jar' or 'pot', and 穴 means 'hole', together describing a pot-shaped hole. The reading おうけつ is the on'yomi, while かめあな is a kun'yomi-based reading.