梗
for the most part, close up, flower stem
Readings
On'yomi
- コウ
- キョウ
Kun'yomi
- ふさぐ
- やまにれ
- おおむね
Meaning
梗 centers on a central, obstructive, or stem-like core: a flower stem that blocks or closes up, and the idea of something being mostly or essentially that core. The meanings "for the most part" and "close up" extend from this central, blocking stem.
Most common words using 梗
- 梗塞こうそく
stoppage; blocking
- 心筋梗塞しんきんこうそく
heart attack; myocardial infarction
- 桔梗ききょう
Chinese bellflower (Platycodon grandiflorus)
- 青梗菜チンゲンサイ
bok choy (Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis; esp. cultivars with green stalks); pak choi
- 梗概こうがい
outline; summary; abstract
- 脳梗塞のうこうそく
cerebral infarction; (ischemic) stroke
- ラクナ梗塞ラクナこうそく
lacunar infarction
- 千島桔梗ちしまぎきょう
hairyflower bellflower (Campanula chamissonis)
- 小花梗しょうかこう
pedicel
- 岩桔梗いわぎきょう
mountain harebell (Campanula lasiocarpa); Alaska harebell
- 急性心筋梗塞きゅうせいしんきんこうそく
acute myocardial infarction; AMI
- 捻じ桔梗ねじききょう
twisted Chinese bellflower crest
- 沢桔梗さわぎきょう
Lobelia sessilifolia (species of lobelia)
- 脊髄梗塞せきずいこうそく
spinal cord infarction
- 花梗かこう
flower stalk; peduncle
Study
Etymology
梗 combines 木 (tree/wood) with 更, which likely contributes a sound element. The original meaning relates to a thorny or obstructive plant stem, which later extended to blocking and the idea of a main stem or core.
Meaning mnemonic
A tree (木) with a stiff, obstructive stem (更) that blocks the way. This stem is the main part, so it represents the core or "for the most part" idea, and it can close up a path like a flower stem blocking a passage.
Reading mnemonic
For コウ, imagine a core (コウ) stem that is hard and obstructive, like the core of a tree blocking your path. The word "core" sounds like コウ and ties to the central stem meaning.