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Kotomora

仭

fathom

Strokes5

Readings

On'yomi

  • ジン

Kun'yomi

  • はか.る

Meaning

仭 centers on a unit of depth measurement: a fathom, the length of outstretched arms, used for measuring water depth or by extension, gauging something.

Study

Etymology

仭 combines 亻 (person) with 刄, a variant of 刃 (blade) with an added dot. The character likely relates to a person measuring with outstretched arms, the length of a fathom. The exact historical development of the 刄 component is uncertain.

Meaning mnemonic

A person 亻 using a blade-like measuring tool 刄 to gauge depth: imagine someone stretching their arms wide like a blade to measure a fathom.

Reading mnemonic

For ジン, picture a person measuring the depth of a gin bottle with a fathom-long rope: gin -> ジン, and the person 亻 checks how deep the gin goes.