窿 (lóng) — (bound form) hole; cavity; (in mining) shaft, tunnel

Definition

A bound morph meaning 'hole / cavity', almost always paired with 窟 to form the word 窟窿 (kūlong, 'hole'). Alone it has no independent use.

bound form
holecavity(in mining) shafttunnel
Easily confused

Examples

  • 。
    Tā de yī fu shàng yǒu gè kū lóng.
    There is a hole in his clothes.
  • 窿。
    Zhè tiáo lóng dào tōng xiàng kuàng jǐng.
    This tunnel leads to the mine.
  • 。
    Dì shàng yǒu yí gè dà kū lóng.
    There is a big hole in the ground.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
穴穴xué
Sound part声符shēngfú
隆
隆lóng窿lóng
Same sound today

窿 combines 穴, a hole or cave, with 隆, which gives the sound.

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