穴
marks holes · Kangxi radical 116
marks holes, caves, and by extension dwellings, openings and hollow spaces
The graph 穴 pictures the mouth of a cave or pit dwelling — a covered opening dug into the ground, drawn as a roof-like top over a gap. In the modern form you can still see it: the 宀-like cover on top is the roof or overhang of the hole, and the two short strokes below are the sides of the opening. As a component it sits squashed on top of a character, and it points to something hollow or hole-like: 空 empty, 窗 window, 穿 to pierce through, 窠 a nest, 穸 and 窀 the grave pit.
穴 at a glance
- Meaning
- marks holes
- Strokes
- 5
- Characters
- 49
- Role
- Contributes meaning
- Kangxi radical
- 116
Characters with 穴 (38 of 49)
HSK 2 · 1
HSK 3 · 1
HSK 5 · 1
Beyond HSK · 28
Frequently asked questions
What does the component 穴 mean?
穴 means "marks holes". In the characters that contain it, it contributes meaning.
How many Chinese characters contain 穴?
49 characters in this dictionary contain 穴, including ones at HSK 2, HSK 3, HSK 4, HSK 5, HSK 6.
Is 穴 a radical?
Yes — 穴 is Kangxi radical 116, one of the 214 traditional indexing radicals used to organise Chinese dictionaries.
How many strokes does 穴 have?
穴 is written in 5 strokes.