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Kotomora

淚

tears, weep, cry

StatusJinmeiyō (variant)Strokes12

Readings

On'yomi

  • ルイ
  • レイ

Kun'yomi

  • なみだ

Meaning

淚 centers on the physical and emotional act of shedding tears: weeping or crying.

Study

Etymology

淚 combines 氵 (water) with 戾, which likely contributes the sound and the idea of something flowing or twisting, suggesting water flowing from the eyes.

Meaning mnemonic

The left side is water 氵, and the right side 戾 looks like a person with a twisted expression. Picture water streaming down a face twisted in weeping: 淚 is tears.

Reading mnemonic

For ルイ, imagine a weeping person named Louie: Louie -> ルイ, and his tears flow like the water radical on the left.