艙
hold (ship)
Strokes16
Readings
On'yomi
- ソウ
Kun'yomi
—
Meaning
艙 centers on the storage area inside a ship: the hold where cargo is kept.
Most common words using 艙
- 艙口そうこう
hatch; hatchway (ship)
Study
Etymology
艙 combines 舟 (boat) with 倉 (storehouse), suggesting a storage compartment on a ship. The exact historical development is uncertain, but the component relationship is clear.
Meaning mnemonic
A boat 舟 with a storehouse 倉 on board: that storehouse is the ship's hold where cargo is kept.
Reading mnemonic
For ソウ, imagine a ship's hold packed with cargo, and the crew shouts 'So!' as they finish loading: So -> ソウ.