掘 — Dig / Delve / Excavate

Master (高手)くつ, ほ

Radical ⼿ · radical 64 The building block this kanji is filed under

掘 (readings: くつ, ほ; Japanese kanji) means “Dig / Delve / Excavate”. It is a Jōyō kanji taught in Japanese secondary school (junior & senior high) — the 高手 · Master tier beyond the grade 1–6 Kyōiku set, and appears in words such as 発掘 (excavation).

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What does 掘 mean?

Full details, readings & example

Kanji	掘
Meaning	Dig / Delve / Excavate
Readings	くつ, ほ
Grade	Master (高手 · secondary school)
Curriculum	Jōyō kanji · Japanese secondary school (JLPT N1–N2)
Example	発掘 (excavation)

How to read 掘

掘 is read くつ or ほ depending on the word.

Words with 掘

発掘khai quật

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Updated: 2026-07-22