The Chinese Radical: 穴


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Meaning
cave    穴

Explanation It is covered 宀 and a narrowing path 八 leads into this hole or cave.

Used in these characters:
穿
HSK 2
pierce, pass through, to dress, to wear, to thread
chuān
Top: cavity, hole 穴 (It is covered 宀 and a narrowing path 八 leads into the cave.), below: tusk 牙 (= an elephant's 象 head with a tusk ノ)
(Think of sewing your clothes:) You make a hole with a tusk [= the needle] to pierce (e.g. the cloth) such that you can wear it.  
HSK 3
sky, empty, air, in vain, vacant
kōng, kòng
Top: hole, cavity 穴 (It is covered 宀 and a narrowing path 八 leads into the cave.), bottom: to build, work 工
When a hole is built (into the ceiling), the empty sky opens.  
HSK 3
to dash, proceed quickly, break through, suddenly

Top: hole, cavity 穴 (It is covered 宀 and a narrowing path 八 leads into the cave.), bottom: dog 犬 (The big 大 person holds it 丶 in the arms)
The cavity is big enough for a dog: It dashes in suddenly.  
HSK 4
window, shutter
chuāng
Top: hole, cavity 穴 (It is covered 宀 and a narrowing path 八 leads into the cave.), bottom: chimney 囱 (In a room 囗 sitting cross-legged 夂 under the chimney.)
This hole has the function of a chimney, but it is: a window.  
HSK 4
deep, profound, dark (of color)
shēn
Left: water 氵, right: 罙 (var. or hole 穴, tree 木)
The water hole at the tree is deep.  
HSK 4
poor, exhausted
qióng
Top: cave, hole 穴 (It is covered 宀 and a narrowing path 八 leads into the cave.), below: strength 力
If you have a hole in your strength (= possibilities) you are poor.  
HSK 4
to investigate, study carefully, after all
jiū
Top: hole, cavity 穴 (It is covered 宀 and a narrowing path 八 leads into the cave.), bottom: nine 九
Hole 'nine' should be investigated.  
HSK 5
to accuse, to charge, to control, to sue
kòng
Left: hand 扌, right: sky 空 (... appears, where a hole 穴 is built 工 in.)
The hand, that built the hole, should be: accused.  
HSK 5
narrow, narrow-minded, badly off
zhǎi
Top: hole, cavity 穴 (It is covered 宀 and a narrowing path 八 leads into the cave.), bottom: suddenly 乍 (The saw 乍 fells [the tree] suddenly.)
(Unlike an axe, which chopes out a wedge.) The cavity (= slit or notch) made by a saw is narrow.  
HSK 5
curtain, flag used by shops
lián
Top: hole 穴 (It is covered 宀 and a narrowing path 八 leads into the cave), bottom: cloth/fabric 巾
In front of the hole we put a fabric: The curtain.  
HSK 6
to dig, to excavate, to scoop out

Left: hand 扌, right: 穵 (hole 穴, second 乙 [The number 'two' 二 written quickly, without lifting the pen.])
By hand the hole is made by the two of us: by digging.  
HSK 6
cavity of body, compartment, tune, melody, speak out
qiāng
Left:body part 月/肉, right: sky, empty 空 (... appears, where a hole 穴 is built 工 in.)
The body parts where sth. empty was built in, are the body's cavities.  
HSK 6
hole, cave, cavity, acupuncture point
xué
Top: roof 宀, below: eight 八 or the image of an entrance
It is covered and a narrowing path leads into: the cave.  
HSK 6
nest, lair, shelter, pit on the human body

Top: hole, cavity 穴 (It is covered 宀 and a narrowing path 八 leads into the cave), below: chat, gossip 呙 (A mouth 口 as big as the chest 内 likes gossip.)
It's a cavity 穴, that surrounds 口, where you can be inside 内: The nest.  
HSK 6
to steal, secretly
qiè
Top: hole, cavity 穴 (It is covered 宀 and a narrowing path 八 leads into the cave), below: cut 切 (with seven 七 swords 刀)
A hole was cut to steal.  
HSK 6
to explore, to search out, to visit
tàn
Left: hand 扌, right: 罙 (var. of hole 穴, tree 木)
The hand in the hole of the tree is exploring.  
HSK 6
rare, seldom
hǎn
Top: Variant of hole 穴 (It is covered 宀 and a narrowing path 八 leads into the cave), bottom: dry 干 (laundry rack)
(Water collects in holes) A hole that is dry is rare and seldom.  
HSK 6
to flee, scuttle, exile or banish
cuàn
Top: hole, cavity 穴 (It is covered 宀 and a narrowing path 八 leads into the cave), below: chain 串 (two pearls on a string, here: foxhole with two caverns 口口 and passage丨)
Into that hole with the two chambers it has fled.  
HSK 6
intelligence, opening, trick/key
qiào
Top: hole, cavity 穴 (It is covered 宀 and a narrowing path 八 leads into the cave), below: skilled 巧 (The craftsman 工 works the seaweed 丂 skillfully.)
Whoever builds his cave skillfully, is intelligent.  
HSK 6
to squeeze (out juice), to extract, salted vegetable
zhà
Left: tree 木, right: narrow 窄 (The opening 穴 [= slit/notch] made by a saw 乍 is narrow.)
If the tree shall pass through the narrow, it must be squeezed.  
no HSK
to watch, to spy on, to peep, to pry into
kuī
Top: hole, cavity 穴 (It is covered 宀 and a narrowing path 八 leads into the cave), below: rule, regulation 规 (The husband 夫 looks 见/見 after the regulations)
(The penetrant) The holes in the regulations need to be watched on.  
no HSK
hole, convex opening, sth. missing, void
dòu
Top: hole, cavity 穴 (It is covered 宀 and a narrowing path 八 leads into the cave), below: to sell 卖 (For ten 十 [coins] the hat 乛 of the leader 头 is sold)
(On the sales shelf) The hole is where something was sold: As a hole or void, where sth. is missing.  
no HSK
cave, hole

Top: cave/cavity 穴 (It is covered 宀 and a narrowing path 八 leads into the cave), below: stoop/crouch 屈 (The buttock 尸 [=butt's crack] comes out 出 when: crouching. = "plumber's crack or smile")
A hole where you have to crouch, is a cave.  
no HSK
distressed, embarrassed
jiǒng
Left: hole, cavity 穴 (It is covered 宀 and a narrowing path 八 leads into the cave), right: monarch/lord 君 (He strikes with a stick ノ in a hand on a mouth 口)
When you report about the hole to the lord, you are: distressed.  
no HSK
obstruct, blocked, stop up
zhì
Top: hole, cavity 穴 (It is covered 宀 and a narrowing path 八 leads into the cave), below: get to/reach 至 (From the sky 一 an arrow 厶 comes to the earth 土: reaching it.)
The hole was reached and it became: obstructed.  
no HSK
cellar
jiào
Top: hole, cavity 穴 (It is covered 宀 and a narrowing path 八 leads into the cave), below: to announce 告 (cow 牛 opens mouth 口)
If a hole is worth to be announced, then it is a cellar.  
no HSK
precious stone, gem, treasure
chēn
Left: king, jade 王, right: 罙 (var. of hole 穴, tree 木
The 'jade' in the hole at the tree is a precious stone.  
no HSK
domed roof, dome, vaulted
qióng
Top: hole, cavity 穴 (It is covered 宀 and a narrowing path 八 leads into the cave), below: bow 弓
With a cavity that is arched (like a bow): a domed/vaulted roof.  
no HSK
oven, kiln
yáo
Top: hole, cavity 穴 (It is covered 宀 and a narrowing path 八 leads into the cave), below: can 缶 (lid and can opener 十 of that can 凵)
At the top is the hole at this 'can': the oven.  
蹿
no HSK
to leap up
cuān
Left: foot 足 (knee cap 口 and footprint 止), right: to flee, scuttle 窜 Into that hole 穴 [=foxhole] with the two chambers 口口 and a passage 丨 [the fox] has fled.) [串=chain])
When your feet flee [from the ground], you leap up.  
窿
no HSK
cavity, hole
lóng
Top: hole, cavity 穴, below: intense, prosperous 隆 (Sitting on a hill 阝 with upturned 夂 feet, the one 一 life 生 looks intense & prosperous)
A hole, that is intense, is a: cavity.  
no HSK
channel, gully, narrow ravine, bed of torrent

Top: 㕡 (Upper left resembles: cavity,hole 穴 and valley 谷 with other elements showing a channel itself) and hand 又), bottom: earth 土
(So that the water can flow away) A hole for running towards the valley was formed by the hand in the earth as a channel or canal.  
no HSK
profound, mysterious, deep, detailed, distant
suì
Left: movement 辶, right: hole 穴 (It is covered 宀 and a narrowing path 八 leads into the cave) and 㒸 (horned 丷 pig 豕)
The movement into the hole to the horned pig is profound but mysterious.  

Radicals are shown here that are similar either in appearance or meaning.

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