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As I am going over the uses of N5 kanji, I have gotten confused as to why
口（ぐち） is used in places such as 出口 and 入口. What meaning does it add?
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2018-07-24T15:28:20.733
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2019-05-30T11:29:08.997
2019-05-30T11:29:08.997
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question
meaning usage kanji
What does 口 add to words like 出口？
In 出口 and 入口,「口」describes the doorway.

[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/HdUCN.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/HdUCN.png)
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2018-07-24T15:37:00.360
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As you are probably aware, 口 has the meaning of mouth. However, when you look
at the Jisho.org [definition](https://jisho.org/word/%E5%8F%A3), you will also
find the definition of `opening; hole; gap; orifice` as well.

> What meaning does it add?

In this case, the meaning that is added is pretty simple, opening.

Combining 出 with 口, you get _a hole
for[exiting](https://jisho.org/search/%E5%87%BA%20%23kanji)_. You will
encounter this at many building and parking lot exits, but it exists many
other places as well.

Combining 入 with 口, you get a _hole
for[entering](https://jisho.org/search/%E5%85%A5%20%23kanji)_. You will
encounter this at many building and parking lot entrances. As with 出口 you will
also see it in other places as well.
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2018-07-24T15:42:35.550
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Here 口 means "doorway" giving

  * 入口 "entry" ("entering doorway")
  * 出口 "exit" ("exiting doorway")

Of course the principal meaning of 口【くち】 is "mouth" — the opening through
which humans or animals take in food. However, besides this literal meaning,
"mouth" also has an extended meaning, [also in
English](https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/mouth):

> **mouth**
>
> …
>
> **2** An opening or entrance to a hollow, concave, or enclosed structure.
>
> _‘the mouth of a cave’_

A very similar meaning exists also in Japanese and a monolingual dictionary
will list something like the following (taken from
[大辞林](https://kotobank.jp/word/%E5%8F%A3-55470#E5.A4.A7.E8.BE.9E.E6.9E.97.20.E7.AC.AC.E4.B8.89.E7.89.88)):

> **口**
>
> …
>
>   4. 通り抜けることができる空間。複合語としても用いる（この場合、多く「ぐち」となる）。
>
> ㋐ 穴やすき間。 「傷－」 「船腹に－があく」
>
> ㋑ ものを出し入れする所。また、そこをふさぐもの。 「瓶の－」 「 －がかたくて抜けない」
>
> ㋒ 人の出入りする所。戸口。 「 －が狭い」 「登山－とざんぐち」 「非常－ひじようぐち」
>
>

roughly translating to

>   4. a space where it is possible to pass through; …
>
> …
>
> ㋒ where people enter and exit; door or doorway
>
>

Note that there are many more such words — the cited dictionary entry gives
the following examples:

  * 非常口 "emergency exit"
  * 登山口 meaning the start of an ascending mountain trail.
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2018-07-24T18:47:17.630
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