穴 means “hole, cave”

あな · ana

Also: aperture, slit

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

あな

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ケツ

Taught in grade 6 · 5 strokes

The story

A roof (宀) over eight (八): a shelter carved into the earth. Japan's earliest dwellings were 竪穴式住居 (tateana-shiki jūkyo), pit houses dug into the ground during the Jōmon period. The kanji reminds us that humanity's first homes were holes in the earth.

Used in 洞穴 (doukutsu, cave), 穴場 (anaba, hidden gem/secret spot), and 落とし穴 (otoshiana, pitfall/trap)

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Learn 穴 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.