羌
barbarian
Strokes8
Readings
On'yomi
- キョウ
Kun'yomi
- ああ
- えびす
Meaning
羌 refers to an ancient ethnic group considered barbarian or foreign from a Chinese historical perspective. The meaning is a specific cultural label rather than a general concept.
Most common words using 羌
Study
Etymology
羌 combines 羊 (sheep) with 儿 (legs), forming ⺶, and adds 乚 underneath. It likely originated as a pictograph or compound referring to a sheep-herding tribe, later used as an ethnonym for a specific ancient people.
Meaning mnemonic
The top part ⺶ looks like a sheep with legs, and the bottom 乚 suggests a person or a hook. Picture a sheep-herding barbarian from the north, wearing a hooked staff, roaming with his flock.
Reading mnemonic
For キョウ, imagine a barbarian shouting 'kyou!' (like 'kyo') as he herds his sheep across the steppe. The sharp cry 'kyou' echoes the reading キョウ.