窖

jiào

告 + 穴

Definitions

jiào cellar; to store in a cellar

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 穴 represents the meaning and 告 represents the sound.

Semantic: 穴 Phonetic: 告

About

窖 is a phono-semantic compound formed from 穴 (cave) and 告. The 穴 radical, placed on top, provides the semantic clue of a hole, pit, or underground cavity, while the component 告 underneath serves as the phonetic marker, giving the character its pronunciation without contributing to the meaning. In both historical and modern usage, 窖 designates a storage pit or cellar dug into the ground for preserving goods, agricultural crops, or ice, keeping them cool and protected. Its meaning remains concrete and specific to this kind of subterranean storage, without any significant abstract development.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

地窖里面很凉爽。

Dì jiào lǐ miàn hěn liáng shuǎng.

It is very cool inside the cellar.

酒窖里有很多红酒。

Jiǔ jiào lǐ yǒu hěn duō hóng jiǔ.

There is a lot of red wine in the wine cellar.

他们把蔬菜放在菜窖里。

Tā men bǎ shū cài fàng zài cài jiào lǐ.

They put the vegetables in the vegetable cellar.

这个冰窖用于储存冰块。

Zhè gè bīng jiào yòng yú chǔ cún bīng kuài.

This ice cellar is used for storing ice blocks.

窖藏的酒味道更醇厚。

Jiào cáng de jiǔ wèi dào gèng chún hòu.

The wine stored in the cellar has a richer flavor.

古代人利用地窖保存食物。

Gǔ dài rén lì yòng dì jiào bǎo cún shí wù.

Ancient people used cellars to preserve food.

这个酒窖的设计非常专业。

Zhè gè jiǔ jiào de shè jì fēi cháng zhuān yè.

The design of this wine cellar is very professional.

在炎热的夏天，地窖能保持低温。

Zài yán rè de xià tiān, dì jiào néng bǎo chí dī wēn.

During the hot summer, the cellar can maintain a low temperature.

Related Characters

Component: 告

Component: 穴

窖