嚏
sneeze
Strokes17
Readings
On'yomi
- テイ
Kun'yomi
- くしゃみ
- くさめ
- くさみ
- はな.ひる
- ひ.る
Meaning
嚏 centers on the act of sneezing: a sudden, involuntary expulsion of air from the nose and mouth.
Most common words using 嚏
Study
Etymology
嚏 combines 口 (mouth) with 疐, which likely contributes the sound and relates to obstruction or stoppage, fitting the sudden burst of a sneeze. The exact historical development is uncertain.
Meaning mnemonic
The mouth 口 on the left and the complex shape 疐 on the right suggest a blocked-up feeling suddenly released: a sneeze bursting out.
Reading mnemonic
For テイ, imagine a sneeze so powerful it sounds like a loud 'TAY!' — the sound 'tay' cues テイ as the sneeze explodes from the mouth.