皎
white, shining
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Readings
On'yomi
- キョウ
- コウ
Kun'yomi
- きよ.い
- しろ.い
Meaning
皎 centers on pure, bright whiteness: something shining and clear, like moonlight or a spotless surface.
Most common words using 皎
- 皎々きょうきょう
bright (esp. of the moon)
Study
Etymology
皎 combines 白 (white) with 交, which likely contributes the sound. The character expresses bright whiteness or shining.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side 白 means white, and the right side 交 looks like crossed lines. Imagine crossing beams of pure white light that make everything shine brightly.
Reading mnemonic
For キョウ, picture a bright white light shining on a Kyoto temple: Kyoto -> キョウ, and the temple glows with a pure, shining whiteness.