Mnemonic
Your hand seizes a shovel to dig into packed earth. The ground won't yield easily—it's stubborn clay. But you keep digging, hands raw and blistered, until at last the soil yields and crumbles away, revealing ancient bones beneath.
Additional thoughts
Picture your bare hand striking the dirt repeatedly; each time the earth refuses to yield, you dig harder. The resistance makes the breakthrough satisfying—connect the feeling of yielding ground with the act of digging.Quick recall
A hand forces the earth to yield as it digs through stubborn clay.Details
The keyword for 掘 is dig. This kanji refers to the physical act of digging into the ground or excavating earth, such as when creating a hole, tunnel, or trench. It encompasses both literal digging with tools like shovels and broader uses related to unearthing or extracting something from below the surface. The character conveys the idea of using one's hands or implements to break through and remove soil or other material.
- On'yomi
- くつ
- Kun'yomi
- ほ.る