掘: the kanji for dig
掘 is a JLPT N2 kanji that means dig. Below are its readings, 4 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
掘 is written in 11 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
掘 has 2 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 4 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
クツ (kutsu)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 発掘はっくつ · hakkutsu | excavation; discovery |
| 採掘さいくつ · saikutsu | mining |
ほる (horu)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 掘るほる · horu | to dig |
| 芋掘りいもほり · imohori | digging up potatoes |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 庭に穴を掘って木を植えた。Niwa ni ana o hotte ki o ueta.I dug a hole in the garden and planted a tree.
- 秋に畑で芋掘りをした。Aki ni hatake de imohori o shita.In autumn we dug up potatoes in the field.
- 古い町の跡が発掘された。Furui machi no ato ga hakkutsu sareta.The remains of an old town were excavated.
- 新しい才能を発掘したい。Atarashii sainō o hakkutsu shitai.I want to discover new talent.
- この山では昔、金を採掘していた。Kono yama de wa mukashi, kin o saikutsu shite ita.Long ago, gold was mined in this mountain.
Questions about 掘
How many strokes does 掘 have?
掘 is written in 11 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 掘?
The on readings are kutsu (クツ). The kun readings are horu (ほる).
What JLPT level is 掘?
N2. The JLPT does not publish official kanji lists, so this level is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used through 2009.
About the JLPT level
The JLPT does not publish official lists of kanji for each level. The level on this page is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used for the test through 2009. The JLPT states that the current N2 is designed to match the former Level 2.
More JLPT N2 kanji
Movement and actions
Executive Japanese by CCN is one-on-one online Japanese for managers and directors doing business in Japan.
Sources
- Jōyō Kanji Table (常用漢字表), Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, 2010: readings and special readings of 掘
- JLPT Frequently Asked Questions, The Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services: how current levels match the former levels
- Stroke order diagrams are based on KanjiVG by Ulrich Apel, used under CC BY-SA 3.0. The diagrams on this page are shared under the same license.