窮
hard up · destitute · suffer · perplexed · cornered
Details
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Composed of hole and body. Body stuck in hole, troubled.
Symbolism
Poverty, predicament, extreme. Represents being cornered.
Component Breakdown
hole + 躬
Words & Expressions
Four-Character Compounds
天壌無窮
てんじょうむきゅう
as eternal as heaven and earth
窮鼠噛猫
きゅうそごうびょう
a cornered rat will bite the cat; one who is cornered will fight like a devil
困苦窮乏
こんくきゅうぼう
hardships and privations
Proverbs & Idioms
窮鼠猫を噛む
きゅうそねこをかむ
A cornered rat bites the cat
Even the weak will fight back when desperate
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 窮 mean in Japanese?
窮 means hard up, destitute, suffer, perplexed, cornered.
How do you read 窮?
On'yomi: キュウ、キョウ (KYUU, KYOU). Kun'yomi: きわ.める、きわ.まる、きわ.まり、きわ.み (kiwameru, kiwamaru, kiwamari, kiwami).
How many strokes does 窮 have?
窮 has 15 strokes. Its radical is 穴 (cave).
Is 窮 a good kanji for a tattoo?
窮 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means hard up, destitute, suffer, perplexed, cornered. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.