穴 xué hole
hole; cave; den
How it came to be
象形 · Pictogram
A drawing of the thing it means.
The small seal form possibly shows the entrance to a cave or a door flap, under a roof.
用法
- A cave/hole/den, and an acupoint: 洞穴 (dòngxué) cave, 巢穴 (cháoxué) lair/den (of animals or criminals), 穴位 (xuéwèi) acupuncture point.
- 不入虎穴，焉得虎子 (bú rù hǔxué, yān dé hǔzǐ): you can't get tiger cubs without entering the tiger's den, nothing ventured, nothing gained.