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Kotomora

篇

volume, chapter, book, editing, compilation

StatusJinmeiyōFrequencyTop 5,000Strokes15

Readings

On'yomi

  • ヘン

Kun'yomi

—

Meaning

篇 centers on a structured written work: a volume, chapter, or book, and by extension the act of editing or compiling such a work.

Most common words using 篇

  • 一篇いっぺん

    piece (e.g. poetry); poem; essay; book; story

  • 佳篇かへん

    outstanding poem

  • 倭玉篇わごくへん

    Wagokuhen (c. 1489 Japanese kanji dictionary)

  • 千篇せんぺん

    many volumes

  • 単語篇たんごへん

    glossary; vocabulary

  • 掌篇小説しょうへんしょうせつ

    short short story

Explore all words using 篇 →

Study

Etymology

篇 combines 竹 (bamboo) and 扁, which likely contributes the sound. Historically, bamboo strips were bound together to form books or chapters, so 竹 suggests the material of early written works.

Meaning mnemonic

The bamboo radical 竹 sits above 扁, like bamboo strips tied into a scroll. Imagine a stack of bamboo pages bound into a single volume or chapter.

Reading mnemonic

For ヘン, picture a hen pecking at a bamboo book, turning the pages of a chapter: hen -> ヘン.