kǒng

hole, opening

Original meaning: 

fontanelle

Depicts an opening in a child's () head, representing the fontanelle. Based on the original meaning "fontanelle". The meaning of this character has shifted over time and now means "hole" and "opening".

Components
子 iconic component

  Iconic component

zi

  

child

◎ iconic component

  Iconic component

  

characterless component

Depicts an opening.

Evolution

孔 Bronze script Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze script

Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
孔 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
孔 Clerical script Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical script

Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
孔 Regular script Modern

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

 

kǒng

opening, hole, orifice; great; hole; CL:|[gè]; classifier for cave dwellings

 

Kǒng

surname Kong

Most common words with 孔
Freq.
Word
Meaning

hole

面孔

face

孔子

Confucius (551-479 BC), Chinese thinker and social philosopher, also known as 孔夫子[Kǒng​fū​zǐ]

瞳孔

pupil (of eye)

孔雀

peacock

Component uses

Sound component in 2 characters (0 verified)