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Kotomora

罄

exhaust, run out, use up, empty

Strokes17

Readings

On'yomi

  • ケイ
  • キョウ

Kun'yomi

  • むな.しい

Meaning

罄 centers on complete depletion: using something up until nothing remains, leaving an empty state.

Study

Etymology

罄 combines 殸 (a phonetic component with the sound ケイ) and 缶 (a jar or vessel), suggesting a vessel emptied to the last drop.

Meaning mnemonic

The top 殸 looks like a tool striking something, and the bottom 缶 is a jar. Picture striking a jar upside down until every last bit is exhausted and it's completely empty.

Reading mnemonic

For ケイ, imagine a cake jar that's been scraped completely empty: cake -> ケイ, and the jar is exhausted.