Skip to content
Kotomora

瑇

tortoise shell

Strokes13

Readings

On'yomi

  • タイ

Kun'yomi

  • たいまい

Meaning

瑇 centers on tortoise shell, specifically the material from hawksbill turtles used for ornaments and crafts.

Study

Etymology

瑇 combines 王 (jade/precious stone) with 毒, which likely contributes the sound タイ. The character was created to refer to tortoise shell, a valuable material similar to jade.

Meaning mnemonic

The 王 (jade) radical on the left suggests a precious material, and 毒 (poison) on the right hints at something exotic or dangerous. Picture a beautiful tortoise shell ornament that looks like jade but comes from a creature that might be poisonous.

Reading mnemonic

For タイ, imagine a tortoise shell tie clip: tie -> タイ, and the shell is polished like jade.