Meaning

Primary

Pot

Alternative

Jar

Word Type

noun

Explanation

The kanji and the word are exactly the same, so this means pot or jar.

usually refers to a pot — as in a ceramic vessel — with a rounded body and narrow opening. It can also be used figuratively, like 壺にはまる (something perfectly clicks with your sense of humor and you can't stop laughing) and ド壺にはまる (getting completely stuck in a bad situation with no easy way out). In these figurative uses, is often written in kana.

Reading

つぼ
  • Kyoko
    (Tokyo accent, female)
  • Kenichi
    (Tokyo accent, male)

Explanation

This word is made up of a single kanji, so it uses the kun'yomi reading. Thankfully, that's the reading you already learned!

Context

Patterns of Use

Common Word Combinations

  • 壺を作る

    to make a pot

    壺を割る

    to break a pot

    壺を買う

    to buy a pot

    壺をくれる

    to receive a pot

Context Sentences

とても古そうな壺ですね。

That jar looks very old.

割れやすいから、壺には触らないでください。

The pot is fragile, so please don't touch it.

壺のふたをそっと開けてみたら、中は空っぽだった。

When I gently opened the lid of the jar, I found that it was empty inside.

Kanji Composition