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Kotomora

攖

oppose, offend, run counter to

Strokes20

Readings

On'yomi

  • エイ
  • ヨウ

Kun'yomi

  • せむ.る

Meaning

攖 centers on active resistance: opposing, offending, or running counter to something. The meanings share the idea of pushing back or acting against.

Study

Etymology

攖 combines 扌 (hand) with 嬰, which likely contributes the sound and may relate to encircling or entangling, suggesting a hand opposing or offending. The exact historical development is uncertain.

Meaning mnemonic

The hand radical 扌 beside 嬰 suggests a hand pushing against something encircling or entangling: opposing and offending by force.

Reading mnemonic

For エイ, imagine an 'A'-shaped hand opposing a tangled mess: 'A' -> エイ, and the hand runs counter to the entanglement.