匆
rush, hurry, be flustered
Strokes5
Readings
On'yomi
- ソウ
Kun'yomi
- いそが.しい
Meaning
匆 centers on hurried, flustered action: rushing or being in a frantic hurry.
Most common words using 匆
Study
Etymology
匆 is thought to be a simplified variant of 怱, which combines 心 (heart) with 匆 as a phonetic component. The modern form visually contains 勹 and inner strokes, but the exact historical development is uncertain.
Meaning mnemonic
The outer 勹 looks like a person bending over in a rush, and the inner dot and crossed strokes suggest hurried, flustered movement inside.
Reading mnemonic
For ソウ, imagine someone rushing so fast they create a 'swoosh' sound: swoosh -> ソウ, as they hurry past in a fluster.