昴
the Pleiades
Readings
On'yomi
- コウ
- ボウ
Kun'yomi
- すばる
Meaning
昴 refers specifically to the Pleiades star cluster, a group of stars in the constellation Taurus. It is a specialized astronomical name with no broader abstract meaning.
Most common words using 昴
- 昴すばる
Chinese "Hairy Head" constellation (one of the 28 mansions); Pleiades; Seven Sisters
- 寒昴かんすばる
Pleiades (esp. in winter)
- 昴宿ぼうしゅく
Chinese "Hairy Head" constellation (one of the 28 mansions); Pleiades; Seven Sisters
- 昴星ぼうせい
Chinese "Hairy Head" constellation (one of the 28 mansions); Pleiades; Seven Sisters
Study
Etymology
昴 combines 日 (sun) with 卯, which likely acts as a phonetic component. The character was created to name the Pleiades star cluster, but the exact historical reasoning behind the component choice is uncertain.
Meaning mnemonic
The sun 日 sits above 卯, like a bright celestial marker. Picture the Pleiades as a tight group of suns clustered together in the night sky.
Reading mnemonic
For コウ, imagine a group of stars forming the shape of a glowing coal in the sky: coal -> コウ, and the Pleiades burn like embers.