樸
bark of a tree
Strokes16
Readings
On'yomi
- ボク
- ハク
- ホク
Kun'yomi
- こはだ
- きじ
Meaning
樸 centers on the outer bark of a tree, the rough protective layer that covers the wood.
Study
Etymology
樸 combines 木 (tree) with 菐, which likely contributes the sound. The character originally referred to unworked wood or bark.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side is a tree 木, and the right side 菐 looks like a thick covering. Picture peeling the rough bark from a tree trunk.
Reading mnemonic
For ボク, imagine a box made of tree bark: box -> ボク, and the rough bark covers the wood.