巉
rising precipitously, rising steeply
Strokes20
Readings
On'yomi
- ザン
- サン
Kun'yomi
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Meaning
巉 centers on a sharp, dramatic upward rise: a mountain or cliff that juts up precipitously and steeply.
Most common words using 巉
- 巉巌ざんがん
near-vertical cliff or peak
Study
Etymology
巉 combines 山 (mountain) with 毚, which likely contributes the sound and the idea of sharpness or steepness. The exact historical development of 毚 is uncertain.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side is 山 (mountain), and the right side 毚 looks like a jagged, steep peak with sharp angles. Picture a mountain that rises so abruptly it looks like a sheer wall.
Reading mnemonic
For ザン, imagine a mountain so steep that climbers can only zan (a sharp, cutting sound) their way up with ice axes: zan -> ザン, and the mountain rises precipitously.