Japanese symbol for “hu”
壺
こ
Romaji: ko
hu (ancient Chinese vessel shaped like a vase, usually used to store alcohol)
In Japanese, hu is 壺, read こ (ko).
Before using these characters for a tattoo, check them with a native speaker. Dictionary words often have several meanings, and the right choice depends on context.
Meanings
- n hu (ancient Chinese vessel shaped like a vase, usually used to store alcohol)
Written forms: 壺、壷. Readings: こ.
Kanji and stroke order
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 便壺 | べんつぼ bentsubo | night-soil vault; clay pot used to collect feces in an outhouse |
| 金壺眼 | かなつぼまなこ kanatsubomanako | goggle-eyes; round, sunken eyes; greedy look |
| 油壺 | あぶらつぼ aburatsubo | oil bottle (esp. for hair oil) |
| 茶壺 | ちゃつぼ chatsubo | tea jar; tea urn |
| 蛸壺 | たこつぼ takotsubo | octopus pot |
| 痰壺 | たんつぼ tantsubo | spittoon; cuspidor |
Data: JMdict (CC BY-SA 4.0); KANJIDIC2 (CC BY-SA 4.0); KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0); wordfreq (CC BY-SA 4.0 (data)). Retrieved 2026-10-22.