苴
husk, bract, straw wrapper, souvenir gift, bribe
Strokes8
Readings
On'yomi
- ソ
- サ
- シャ
- ショ
Kun'yomi
- つと
- あさ
Meaning
苴 centers on a plant-based covering or wrapping: a husk, bract, or straw wrapper. The extended senses of souvenir gift and bribe likely come from the idea of something wrapped or presented in plant material.
Most common words using 苴
- 土苴つちづと
bundle of straw used as mulch
Study
Etymology
苴 combines the grass/plant radical 艹 with 且, which may have contributed a phonetic element. The exact historical development is uncertain, but the plant radical fits the husk/wrapper meanings.
Meaning mnemonic
The grass top 艹 covers the bottom 且 like a straw wrapper around a bundle. Picture dried grass husks tied around a gift.
Reading mnemonic
For ソ, imagine sewing a straw wrapper: sew -> ソ, and the grass husk is stitched together.