火口

Japanese

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
火	口
か Grade: 1	こう Grade: 1
on'yomi

Compound of 火 (ka, “fire”) +‎ 口 (kō, “hole”).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) かこー [kàkóó] (Heiban – [0])
• IPA^(key): [ka̠ko̞ː]

Noun

火(か)口(こう) • (kakō) ^{←くわこう (kwakou)?}

1. (volcanology) a crater
2. the firedoor of a boiler

Synonyms

• (crater): 噴火口(ふんかこう) (funkakō)

Derived terms

• 火口丘(かこうきゅう) (kakōkyū, “volcanic cone, crater cone”)
• 火口原(かこうげん) (kakōgen, “crater basin, crater floor”)
• 火口原湖(かこうげんこ) (kakōgenko, “crater lake”)
• 火口湖(かこうこ) (kakōko, “crater lake”)
• 火口港(かこうこう) (kakōkō, “crater port”)
• 火口谷(かこうこく) (kakōkoku, “crater valley”)
• 火口瀬(かこうせ) (kakōse, “crater rapids”)
• 火口壁(かこうへき) (kakōheki, “crater wall”)
• 火口裂(かこうさ)け目(め) (kakōsakeme, “crater fissure”)
• 中央火口丘(ちゅうおうかこうきゅう) (chūōkakōkyū, “central crater cone”)
• 爆裂火口(ばくれつかこう) (bakuretsukakō, “explosion crater”)
• 破火山口(はかざんこう) (hakazankō, “caldera”)

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
火	口
ひ Grade: 1	くち > ぐち Grade: 1
kun'yomi

Compound of 火 (hi, “fire”) +‎ 口 (kuchi, “hole”). The kuchi changes to guchi as an instance of rendaku (連(れん)濁(だく)).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) ひぐち [híꜜgùchì] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [çiɡɯ̟t͡ɕi]

Noun

火(ひ)口(ぐち) • (higuchi) 

1. the origin of a fire

   台所(だいどころ)の火口(ひぐち)を確認(かくにん)してから外出(がいしゅつ)した。

   Daidokoro no higuchi o kakunin shite kara gaishutsu shita.

   I checked the origin of the fire in the kitchen before going out.

2. an opening for ignition

   かまどの火口(ひぐち)に薪(まき)をくべた。

   Kamado no higuchi ni maki o kubeta.

   I fed firewood into the ignition opening of the stove.

3. the nozzle of a welder or a burner, etc

   バーナーの火口(ひぐち)が詰(つ)まって、炎(ほのお)が弱(よわ)まった。

   Bānā no higuchi ga tsumatte, honō ga yowamatta.

   The nozzle of the burner clogged, and the flame weakened.

4. the opening through which the fire enters the barrel in a hinawajū

   火縄銃(ひなわじゅう)の火口(ひぐち)をきれいに掃除(そうじ)した。

   Hinawajū no higuchi o kirei ni sōji shita.

   I cleaned the opening through which the fire enters the barrel of the hinawajū.

5. (volcanology) a crater

   浅間山(あさまやま)の火口(ひぐち)周辺(しゅうへん)は立入(たちいり)規制(きせい)されている。

   Asamayama no higuchi shūhen wa tachīri kisei sarete iru.

   The area around the crater of Mount Asama is restricted.

Synonyms

• (origin of a fire): 火元(ひもと) (himoto)
• (crater): 噴火口(ふんかこう) (funkakō)

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
火	口
ほ Grade: 1	くち Grade: 1
kun'yomi

Compound of 火(ほ) (ho-, 被(ひ)覆(ふく)形(けい) (hifukukei, “bound form”) of 火(ひ) (hi, “fire”)) + 口(くち) (kuchi, “hole; mouth”).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) ほくち [hòkúchí] (Heiban – [0])
• (Tokyo) ほくち [hòkúchíꜜ] (Odaka – [3])
• IPA^(key): [ho̞kɯ̟t͡ɕi]

Noun

火(ほ)口(くち) • (hokuchi) 

1. tinder

   彼(かれ)はキャンプで火口(ほくち)を使(つか)って火(ひ)を起(お)こした。

   Kare wa kyanpu de hokuchi o tsukatte hi o okoshita.

   He used tinder to start a fire at the campsite.

2. a place for setting a fire

   かまどの火口(ほくち)に薪(まき)をくべた。

   Kamado no hokuchi ni maki o kubeta.

   He put firewood into the opening of the stove to start a fire.

Synonyms

• (tinder): 火糞(ほくそ) (hokuso)

Derived terms

• 火口金(ほくちがね) (hokuchigane, “flint striker (steel striker for tinder)”)
• 火口箱(ほくちばこ) (hokuchibako, “tinderbox”)
• 山火口(やまぼくち) (yamabokuchi, “wildfire ignition site”)
• 火口材(ほくちざい) (hokuchizai, “tinder material (e.g. charred cloth)”)
• 火口袋(ほくちぶくろ) (hokuchibukuro, “tinder pouch”)
• 火口組(ほくちぐみ) (hokuchigumi, “tinder kit; fire‑starting kit”)

References

• “火口”, in 漢字ぺディア [Kanjipedia]‎^[1] (in Japanese), The Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation, 2015–2025