堀 (kū) - Moat & ditch

堀Tone 1

kū ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

俊梁

堀 · kū

Moat;

ditch;

trench;

pit;

also refers to a hole or cavity in the ground.

Moatditchtrench

Usage highlights

moatditchtrenchpitburrowdig a hole

Synonyms

  • 沟— ditch, trench
  • 渠— canal, channel
  • 壕— moat, trench
  • 窟— cave, hole

Antonyms

  • 丘— hill, mound
  • 山— mountain
  • 台— platform, terrace

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The castle was protected by a deep moat (堀).
  • They dug a trench (堀) for drainage.
  • Archaeologists found ancient artifacts in the pit (堀).
  • The rabbit hid in its burrow (穴堀).

Collocations

  • moat(堀)
  • ditch(堀)
  • trench(堀)
  • pit(堀)
  • burrow(穴堀)
  • dig a hole(堀を掘る)

Idioms

  • To dig a moat and pile up earth(堀を掘り土を積む)
  • Like a rat in a hole(穴の堀の鼠)
  • Fortify with high walls and deep moats(高塀深堀)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Historically used in Japanese castle architecture to refer to defensive moats (e.g., 空堀 kara-bori 'dry moat').
  • In Chinese, less common than 窟 for 'cave' or 'hole', but appears in classical texts and place names.
  • Can be confused with 掘 (to dig) due to similar appearance and related meaning.

FAQ