兔
rabbit, hare
Strokes8
Readings
On'yomi
- ト
- ツ
Kun'yomi
- うさぎ
Meaning
兔 centers on the animal rabbit or hare, with no strong abstract extensions beyond the creature itself.
Study
Etymology
兔 is a pictograph of a rabbit, with the modern form retaining a stylized head, body, and short tail. The dot inside likely represents the tail or a distinguishing feature.
Meaning mnemonic
The top part looks like a rabbit's head and ears, the middle box its body, and the small dot inside its fluffy tail. Together, 兔 is a rabbit.
Reading mnemonic
For ト, imagine a rabbit hopping onto a toe: toe -> ト, and the rabbit lands right on it.