# 窮 — destitute; hard up

窮 means “destitute; hard up”. It is a JLPT N1 kanji written with 15 strokes. On'yomi: キュウ (kyuu). It has no common kun'yomi.

- Meaning: destitute; hard up
- On'yomi: キュウ (kyuu)
- Kun'yomi: —
- Strokes: 15
- Level: JLPT N1 · set Qualities 6

## How to remember 窮

Sounds like 弓: both read キュウ.

Parts: 穴 hole · 身 own body · 弓 bow

## More in the “Qualities 6” set

[痴](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/silly/) · [凶](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/ill-fated/) · [粗](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/coarse/) · [寧](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/courteous/) · [凡](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/commonplace/) · [弊](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/bad-habit/) · [窮](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/destitute/) · [麗](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/lovely/) · [臭](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/stinking/)

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From Moji Ninja (https://moji.ninja/), a free app for learning hiragana, katakana and the JLPT kanji from N5 to N1 with spaced repetition. Page: https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/destitute/. Last updated 2026-11-01.