溝 — “Gutter / Ditch / Sewer / Drain” in Japanese

Master (高手)こう, みぞ

Radical ⽔ · radical 85 The building block this kanji is filed under

“Gutter / Ditch / Sewer / Drain” in Japanese is 溝, read kou, mizo (こう, みぞ). 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 排水溝 (drainage ditch).

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What does 溝 mean?

Full details, readings & example

Kanji	溝
Meaning	Gutter / Ditch / Sewer / Drain
Readings	こう, みぞ
Grade	Master (高手 · secondary school)
Curriculum	Jōyō kanji · Japanese secondary school (JLPT N1–N2)
Example	排水溝 (drainage ditch)

How to read 溝

溝 is read kou (こう) or mizo (みぞ) depending on the word.

Words with 溝

排水溝

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Kanji read the same way as 溝

Same sound, different character — the classic trap. Compare them side by side:

Updated: 2026-08-28