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Kotomora

啼

bark, chirp, cry

Strokes12

Readings

On'yomi

  • テイ

Kun'yomi

  • な.く

Meaning

啼 centers on vocal sounds made by animals or in distress: barking, chirping, or crying out.

Most common words using 啼

  • 啼兎なきうさぎ

    pika (rabbit-like animal of family Ochotonidae)

  • 啼声ていせい

    cry (of an animal); call; chirp

  • 啼泣ていきゅう

    crying aloud; wailing; bawling

  • 啼鳥ていちょう

    chirping bird; singing bird

  • 落花啼鳥らっかていちょう

    the poetic feeling of a late spring scene (with flowers scattering and birds chirping)

Explore all words using 啼 →

Study

Etymology

啼 combines 口 (mouth) with 帝, which likely contributes the sound. The character expresses vocal sounds such as crying or animal calls.

Meaning mnemonic

A mouth 口 beside 帝, like an emperor's decree, but here the mouth is making animal sounds: barking, chirping, or crying.

Reading mnemonic

For テイ, imagine a tea kettle whistling like a bird chirping: tea -> テイ, and the sound comes from the mouth 口.