also: ぎょうかく
noun, na-adjective, taru-adjective, adverb taking the 'to' particle
stony, barren land
Literary or archaic term for land that is stony and infertile; rarely used in everyday conversation. Often appears in classical or poetic contexts.
The land was stony and barren, and crops would not grow.
In classical literature, one finds the expression 'stony, barren land'.
不毛 is a more common word for 'barren' or 'infertile', used for both land and abstract contexts. こうかく is specifically stony and literary.
Outdated kanji form; rarely used in modern Japanese.
Outdated kanji form; rarely used in modern Japanese.
Rare alternate reading; the more common reading is こうかく.
The exact derivation is uncertain; the kanji 磽 and 确 both relate to stony or hard ground, suggesting a Chinese origin for the compound.