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道Nihongo Path
坑

坑·pit, hole

On-yomi
コウ
Kun-yomi
none

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Stroke order

Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.

Common words

WordReadingMeaning
炭坑たんこうcoal mine
坑道こうどうmine shaft; tunnel
坑内こうないinside a mine
廃坑はいこうabandoned mine

Example sentences

  1. 昔この山には炭坑があった。

    むかしこのやまにはたんこうがあった。

    There used to be a coal mine in this mountain.

  2. 坑道の奥は真っ暗だった。

    こうどうのおくはまっくらだった。

    It was pitch dark deep in the mine shaft.

Similar-looking kanji

Do not confuse these on the exam.

Common mistakes

  • 炭坑 (the pit itself) and 炭鉱 (the mine as an enterprise) are both たんこう — check which is meant

Memory aid

Picture it

Earth 土 with 亢 (stretched high): a shaft driven down through the ground — a pit.

Quick check

1 / 2Multiple choiceDifficulty 4 of 5

What does the kanji 坑 mean?