cave

Origin & mnemonic

This radical originated as a pictograph depicting a hollow space or cavity, representing a cave or burrow. The early form in oracle-bone and seal scripts mimics the structure of a natural cave opening.

Mnemonic: Picture a deep vertical void with a ceiling above it—that's the visual essence of a cave.

• 穷qióng🔊

  poor

  HSK 4

  7 strokes

• 究jiū🔊

  after all

  7 strokes

• 空kōng🔊

  empty

  HSK 3

  8 strokes

• 穸xī🔊

  tomb

  8 strokes

• 穹qióng🔊

  vault

  8 strokes

• 穿chuān🔊

  HSK 1

  9 strokes

• 突tū🔊

  to dash

  9 strokes

• 窀zhūn🔊

  to bury

  9 strokes

• 窂láo🔊

  variant of 牢[lao2]

  9 strokes

• 窃qiè🔊

  to steal

  9 strokes

• 窆biǎn🔊

  to put a coffin in the grave

  9 strokes

• 窄zhǎi🔊

  narrow

  HSK 7

  10 strokes

• 窅yǎo🔊

  sunken eyes

  10 strokes

• 窈yǎo🔊

  (literary) deep; profound; dim (variant of 杳[yao3])

  10 strokes

• 窊wā🔊

  lowland swamp

  10 strokes

• 窋zhú🔊

  in a hole

  10 strokes

• 窌jiào🔊

  cellar

  10 strokes

• 窍qiào🔊

  hole

  10 strokes

• 窎diào🔊

  (literary) distant

  10 strokes