夬
decide, determine, archery glove
Strokes4
Readings
On'yomi
- カイ
- ケツ
- ケチ
Kun'yomi
- わ.ける
Meaning
夬 centers on the act of making a clear, decisive choice or judgment. The specific meaning 'archery glove' is a rare, concrete application, possibly related to the decisive release of an arrow.
Most common words using 夬
- 沢天夬たくてんかい
guai (hexagram 43 of the I Ching: break-through)
Study
Etymology
The historical origin of 夬 is uncertain. It may have originally depicted a hand holding an object, possibly related to archery or division, but the exact development is unclear.
Meaning mnemonic
The shape looks like a person 大 with a small mark at the top, as if making a decisive gesture. Think of an umpire calling a decision: the raised arm signals the final call.
Reading mnemonic
For カイ, imagine a decisive leader named Kai who makes all the tough calls: Kai -> カイ, and his judgment is final.