溝
溝·ditch, groove, gap between people
- On-yomi
- コウ
- Kun-yomi
- みぞ
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Stroke order
Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.
Common words
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 溝 | みぞ | ditch, groove; rift |
| 海溝 | かいこう | ocean trench |
| 排水溝 | はいすいこう | drainage ditch |
| 側溝 | そっこう | roadside gutter |
Example sentences
道の横の溝に水が流れている。
みちのよこのみぞにみずがながれている。
Water is running in the ditch beside the road.
二人の間の溝は深まるばかりだ。
ふたりのあいだのみぞはふかまるばかりだ。
The rift between the two of them only grows deeper.
日本海溝は世界でも有数の深さだ。
にほんかいこうはせかいでもゆうすうのふかさだ。
The Japan Trench is among the deepest in the world.
Similar-looking kanji
Do not confuse these on the exam.
Common mistakes
- 溝ができる about people means a rift opens, not that a ditch is dug.
- 側溝 is そっこう with a small tsu, not そくこう.
Memory aid
Picture it
Water 氵 beside a latticed frame: a channel dug to carry it away — and the same gap between two people.
Vocabulary using this kanji
Quick check
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What does the kanji 溝 mean?