穴 (xué) · cave, cavity, hole

Measure Word

一个穴 gè

Meanings

1 cave
2 cavity
3 hole
4 acupuncture point

Characters

穴

xué

cave; hole; acupuncture point

Examples

HSK 6

中医用针刺穴位来治病。

Zhōngyī yòng zhēn cì xuéwèi lái zhìbìng.

Traditional Chinese medicine uses acupuncture on pressure points to treat illness.

HSK 7-9

动物们在穴里过冬。

Dòngwù men zài xué lǐ guòdōng.

The animals spend winter in their caves.

Tips

culture

穴 is a key concept in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Acupuncture points are called 穴位. The character also appears in 穴居 (cave dwelling).

Components

pictograph

穴 xué

cave; hole

Self-radical. Drawn as a roofed dwelling 宀 with two splayed legs 八 below, picturing a cave-mouth held open on either side. The character names a cave, hole, or hollow - and by medical extension an acupuncture point where the surface gives way to a deeper channel. Indexing radical for the cave family: 究, 空, 穿, 窟.

Radical

Cave Kangxi #116

Productive top-position radical for caves, holes, and dwellings dug into the earth - and by extension actions that involve passing through openings. Reliable meaning clue: 空 (empty), 穿 (pass through), 突 (sudden, a dog rushing from a hole), 窗 (window), 究 (investigate), 窝 (nest), 窄 (narrow), 窃 (steal).