火口(かこう)

かこう
noun
crater (of volcano)
1. crater; volcanic crater
The bowl-shaped opening at the top of a volcano from which lava and gases are ejected.
火口(かこう)から煙(けむり)が立(た)ち上(のぼ)っている。
Smoke is rising from the crater.
火口(かこう)付近(ふきん)への立(た)ち入(い)りは禁止(きんし)されている。
Entry to the area near the crater is prohibited.
火口(かこう)の直径(ちょっけい)は約(やく)300メートルある。
The crater has a diameter of about 300 meters.

HOMOPHONE: 下降(かこう) (descent, decline) has the same reading.

ALTERNATIVE READING: Also read as ひぐち in some contexts (older/regional), but かこう is standard.

RELATED TERMS:

  • 火口(かこう)湖 (crater lake)
  • 火口(かこう)原(げん) (caldera - large crater)
  • 噴火口(ふんかこう) (volcanic crater - synonym)
  • 火山(かざん) (volcano)
  • 溶岩(ようがん) (lava)
  • 噴火(ふんか) (eruption)

NOTE: Japan has many active volcanoes, making this term commonly seen in news and tourism contexts.

Related Words

Related: 火山(かざん) (volcano)
Contrast: 下降(かこう) (descent (homophone))
general
Added 2026.1.13 19:53 · Revised 2026.2.9 11:43
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