How to say "pit" in Japanese

• 核かくJLPT N1approx.Common
  nounThe hard stone or pit at the center of a fruit such as a peach, plum, or cherry; when English 'pit' means this stony part, 核 is the word to use.
• ピットCommon
  nounThe loanword for a pit as a physical hole or sunken area, something dug into the ground or recessed below the surface around it; it does not cover fruit stones or traps.
• 落とし穴おとしあなCommon
  nounA pit dug as a trap to catch people or animals, hence also the figurative 'pitfall'; for an ordinary hole or excavation it is not the word you want.
  このテストには落とし穴おとしあながある。↗

  This test has a catch.
• 種子しゅしCommon
  nounThe word for seed; its 'pit' sense is the seed of a fruit, as when saving or planting one, so for the hard stone itself use 核 instead.
  例たとえばジャック・パインの松まつかさは、高温こうおんにより影響えいきょうを受うけるまでは自みずから開ひらいて種子しゅしを放出ほうしゅつしない。↗

  The cones of the jack pine, for example, do not readily open to release their seeds until they have been subjected to great heat.
• 坑道こうどうCommon
  nounA tunnel or gallery in a mine, with 'shaft' also among its senses; it fits 'pit' only in the mining sense and is not a general word for a hole.

For the stone inside a fruit use 核, for the seed 種子, for a hole or sunken area 「ピット」, for a trap or pitfall 「落とし穴」, and for mine tunnels or shafts 坑道.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 核かくstone (of a fruit)
• ピットpit (hole or sunken area)
• 落とし穴おとしあなpitfall
• 種子しゅしseed
• 坑道こうどうtunnel
• 実さねseed (of a fruit)
• 竪穴たてあなpit
• 坑こうpit (esp. of a mine)
• 立坑たてこうshaft (e.g. in a mine)
• 平土間ひらどまseats immediately in front of the stage (e.g. in kabuki)
• 鉱坑こうこうshaft
• 窪地くぼちhollow
• 間歩まぶtunnel
• 炭鉱たんこうcoal mine
• 穴あなpit
• 土間どまpit (theater seating)
• シャフトmine shaft
• ボックスbox (in a theatre)