How to Write 穴 (xué) — Meaning “Hole; cave; acupuncture point”

Q: What is a good memory trick to remember the character 穴?

Imagine a cave entrance with a low roof (the top strokes) and a path splitting into two directions (the bottom 八). This shape helps you remember 穴 means cave or hole.

Q: What should I watch out for when writing 穴?

Write the top dot, then horizontal line, then left and right strokes forming the roof, and finally the two strokes of 八. A common mistake is making the bottom 八 too wide or not centered under the roof.

Q: How can I tell 穴 apart from similar characters like 穵 and 究?

穴 (cave/hole) has a roof shape with two legs, while 穵 (dig) has an extra stroke and means to dig, and 究 (investigate) has the same top but uses 九 below. The meaning differences are clear: 穴 is physical holes, 究 is about studying.

Q: Where is 穴 used in modern Chinese and are there cultural notes?

穴 appears in words like 洞穴 (cave) and 穴位 (acupuncture point). In traditional Chinese medicine, 穴位 refers to specific energy points on the body, and the character also shows up in 巢穴 for animal dens or lairs.

Q: What common words use 穴?

Common words containing 穴 include: 洞穴 (dòng xué) — Cave / Cavern; 穴位 (xué wèi) — Acupuncture point; 巢穴 (cháo xué) — Lair / Den / Nest.

xué HSK Level 7 5 strokes Radical: 穴

穴 (xué) means "Hole; cave; acupuncture point" in Chinese. It has 5 strokes with the radical 穴, and is HSK Level 7.

Rated 2.7/5 in difficulty (moderate).

Harder than 4% of HSK Level 7 characters.

Appears in 3+ common words including 洞穴 (dòng xué), 穴位 (xué wèi), 巢穴 (cháo xué).

Hanzi Writer's stroke validation shows learners typically need 5-8 attempts to write 穴 with correct proportion and order.

Practice Writing 穴 (xué)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 穴 with real-time feedback.

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How to Write 穴

The character 穴 (xué) is written with 5 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 穴 is one of its key components.

Practice the correct stroke order with the Hanzi Writer app to see animated stroke-by-stroke guidance with real-time feedback.

What Does xué (穴) Mean in Chinese?

穴 means Hole; cave; acupuncture point.

As an HSK Level 7 character, 穴 is an intermediate-level character.

Character Data

Character	穴
Pinyin	xué (xue)
Meaning	Hole; cave; acupuncture point
Strokes	5
Radical	穴
HSK Level	7
Difficulty	2.7/5

Origin of 穴

The character 穴 is a pictograph of a cave or a hole in the ground. Its ancient form depicted a shelter carved into a rock face, with the top part representing the overhanging roof and the lower part showing the opening. The modern shape preserves this idea: a cover (丶) over a hole (八).

💡 Memory Tip: Imagine the top stroke as a rocky overhang and the '八' below as two narrow paths leading into a dark cave.

Common Words with 穴

洞穴 dòng xué

Cave / Cavern

穴位 xué wèi

Acupuncture point

巢穴 cháo xué

Lair / Den / Nest

Example Sentences

山里有一个洞穴。

shān lǐ yǒu yí gè dòng xué

There is a cave in the mountains.

中医讲究穴位。

zhōng yī jiǎng jiū xué wèi

TCM emphasizes acupuncture points.

鸟儿回到了巢穴。

niǎo ér huí dào le cháo xué

The bird returned to its nest.

Similar Characters Comparison

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Radical
穴 (current)	xué	5	穴
穵	wā	6	穴
究	jiū	7	穴
穷	qióng	7	穴

Practice Writing 穴 (xué)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 穴 with real-time feedback.

✨ Animated stroke order · Handwriting recognition · HSK-graded practice · Free to use

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Frequently Asked Questions about 穴

What are the components of 穴 and how do they relate to its meaning?

穴 is a pictograph of a cave or hole. The top part (宀-like) represents a roof or covering, and the bottom part (八) represents the opening or split, together meaning a cavity.

What is a good memory trick to remember the character 穴?

What should I watch out for when writing 穴?

How can I tell 穴 apart from similar characters like 穵 and 究?

Where is 穴 used in modern Chinese and are there cultural notes?

What common words use 穴?

How to Write 穴 (xué) — Meaning “Hole; cave; acupuncture point”

Practice Writing 穴 (xué)

How to Write 穴

What Does xué (穴) Mean in Chinese?

Character Data

Origin of 穴

Common Words with 穴

Example Sentences

Similar Characters Comparison

Practice Writing 穴 (xué)

Frequently Asked Questions about 穴

More HSK Level 7 Characters

Characters with Radical 穴

Other 5-Stroke Characters