How to Write 窟 (kū) — Meaning “cave / hole”

Imagine a person bending down (屈) to enter a cave (穴). The character looks like a cave opening with someone crouching inside, which helps you recall that 窟 means a cave or hole.

Make sure the top radical 穴 is wide enough to cover the bottom part 屈. A common mistake is writing the bottom 屈 incorrectly — it consists of 尸 and 出, so keep the 出 balanced with two short vertical strokes on each side.

窟 means a natural cave or hole, while 窑 (yáo) refers to a man-made kiln for pottery (穴 + 缶). 窒 (zhì) means to block or obstruct (穴 + 至), not a cave. Visually, 窟 has 屈 below, 窑 has 缶, and 窒 has 至.

窟 appears in words like 石窟 (rock cave, famous for Buddhist grottoes like Dunhuang), 洞窟 (cave), and 窟窿 (hole or debt). Culturally, 石窟 art is a major part of Chinese heritage, often featuring ancient Buddhist carvings and paintings.

Common words containing 窟 include: 洞窟 (dòng kū) — Grotto / Cave; 窟窿 (kū lóng) — hole / cavity / debt; 石窟 (shí kū) — grotto.