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Kotomora

唇

lips

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 2,000Strokes10

Readings

On'yomi

  • シン

Kun'yomi

  • くちびる

Meaning

唇 centers on the lips as the visible, fleshy border of the mouth. Its meaning is straightforward and concrete.

Most common words using 唇

20 of 51
  • 唇くちびる
    N3

    lip; lips

  • 口唇こうしん

    lips

  • 上唇うわくちびる

    upper lip

  • 読唇術どくしんじゅつ

    lip reading

  • 兎唇いぐち

    harelip; cleft lip

  • 兎唇としん

    cleft lip

  • 下唇したくちびる

    lower lip

  • たらこ唇たらこくちびる

    full lips; thick lips

  • 下唇動脈かしんどうみゃく

    inferior labial artery

  • 両唇音りょうしんおん

    bilabial

  • 丹唇たんしん

    red lips

  • 円唇えんしん

    rounding of the lips; rounded (e.g. vowel)

  • 円唇化えんしんか

    labialization

  • 円唇母音えんしんぼいん

    rounded vowel

  • 口唇ヘルペスこうしんヘルペス

    oral herpes; cold sores; herpes simplex virus 1; HSV-1

  • 口唇動脈こうしんどうみゃく

    labial artery

  • 口唇口蓋裂こうしんこうがいれつ

    cleft lip and palate

  • 口唇性格こうしんせいかく

    oral character (in psychoanalysis)

  • 口唇期こうしんき

    oral phase; oral stage

  • 口唇炎こうしんえん

    cheilitis; chilitis; chapped lips

Explore all words using 唇 →

Study

Etymology

唇 combines 辰 (which historically represented a shell or a trembling motion) with 口 (mouth) to indicate the lips. The exact semantic role of 辰 is uncertain, but the character has long been used for 'lips'.

Meaning mnemonic

The mouth 口 sits below 辰, like the fleshy lips beneath the nose area. Picture the 辰 shape as the upper face and 口 as the lips themselves.

Reading mnemonic

For シン, imagine thin lips pressing together: thin -> シン, and the lips are the thin edge of the mouth.