窾 meaning and stroke order
Hole; hallow; empty
How to write 窾, stroke by stroke
17 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
Meaning of 窾
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to conceal
- to hide
- crack
- hollow
- cavity
- to excavate or hollow out
- (onom.) water hitting rock
- (old) variant of 款[kuan3]
How 窾 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Cave.
穴 gives the meaning and 款 hints at the sound.
Radical: 穴 (cave), shared by 46 characters on this site.
How to remember 窾
A cave 穴 (xué) sits on top of 款 (kuǎn), which gives the sound. Picture a hollow cave roof over the word kuǎn: a hole or empty cavity named kuǎn.
窾 is a rare, literary character found mostly in classical texts. Its best-known use is in the Zhuangzi story of Cook Ding, who cuts an ox by following its natural gaps. Example: 导大窾 (dǎo dà kuǎn), guide the blade through the big hollows.
Common mistake: Learners often mistake 窾 for the common character 款 (kuǎn) because they share a sound and the lower part. Remember that 窾 has 穴 on top, which marks it as a hole or cavity, while 款 means a sum of money or a style.
Questions about 窾
How many strokes are in 窾?
窾 is written with 17 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 窾 mean?
窾 (kuǎn) means hole; hallow; empty.
How do you pronounce 窾?
窾 is pronounced kuǎn, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 窾?
The radical of 窾 is 穴, which carries the idea of "cave". Dictionaries list 窾 under this radical.
Does 窾 have more than one pronunciation?
Yes. It is usually read kuǎn, meaning crack, hollow, or cavity. In the sense of to conceal or to hide, dictionaries give the reading cuàn.
Can 窾 be used in place of 款?
In older texts 窾 sometimes appears as a variant of 款 (kuǎn). In modern Chinese you should always write 款 for meanings like money or style, as in 付款 (fùkuǎn), to pay.