城郭

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 城郭 is read as じょうかく and is a noun for a castle or fortification considered as a defensive complex.
• Basic usage: Castle ruins using mountain terrain appear in 地形を生かした城郭の跡, while a moat around the fortification appears in 城郭を囲む堀.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Ruins and defenses
  • It describes the overall defensive structure, including surviving ruins and a surrounding moat.
• Difference from 城
  • Compared with the broad word for a castle, this term focuses on the complete defensive arrangement including walls and moats.