粁
kilometer, (kokuji)
Strokes9
Readings
On'yomi
—
Kun'yomi
- キロメートル
Meaning
粁 is a Japanese-made kokuji that represents the unit kilometer, combining the idea of measurement with a specific distance.
Study
Etymology
粁 is a kokuji created in Japan by combining 米 (meter) and 千 (thousand) to represent kilometer (1000 meters).
Meaning mnemonic
The left side 米 suggests 'meter' (from its use in metric units), and the right side 千 means 'thousand'. Together they form a kilometer: a thousand meters.
Reading mnemonic
For キロメートル, picture a kilometer marked by a row of 米 (rice) grains stretching for a thousand 千 meters. The full reading キロメートル is the Japanese word for kilometer, so remembering the meaning directly recalls the reading.