The kanji 堀 generally means "moat" or "ditch." It refers to an excavation, often around a castle or structure, designed to provide defense by creating a barrier and obstacle for potential attackers. It can also refer to a dug-out area or a channel for water.

・On-yomi (音読み): クツ (kutsu) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): 堀（ほり） (堀（hori）)

⚫︎お城の堀 Translation: The castle moat ⚫︎堀を埋める Translation: To fill in a moat ⚫︎運河の堀 Translation: Canal ditch

The kanji 堀 is a 形声文字 (keisei moji), a phono-semantic compound character. The character is composed of the semantic component 土 (tsuchi - earth/ground) and the phonetic component 畐 (fuku). 畐 originally depicted a container. Combined together, they suggest an excavation in the earth, thus conveying the meaning of a ditch or moat. The historical development of the character reflects the practical importance of moats in defense and water management.