慷
weep, grieve
Strokes14
Readings
On'yomi
- コウ
Kun'yomi
- なげ.く
Meaning
慷 centers on deep emotional sorrow: weeping and grieving from the heart.
Most common words using 慷
Study
Etymology
慷 combines the heart radical 忄 with 康, which likely contributes the sound コウ. The exact historical development of the compound is uncertain.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side is the heart 忄, and the right side 康 looks like a person bent over in sorrow. Picture a grieving heart that makes you weep.
Reading mnemonic
For コウ, imagine a grieving person letting out a deep, sorrowful 'coo' sound: coo -> コウ, as they weep from the heart.