貔
brave heraldic beast
Readings
On'yomi
- ヒ
Kun'yomi
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Meaning
貔 refers to a brave, mythical beast, often depicted in heraldry or as a fierce guardian creature. Its meaning is narrow and specific to this legendary animal.
Most common words using 貔
- 貔貅ひきゅう
ferocious leopard-like beast (Chinese legendary animal); pixiu
Study
Etymology
貔 combines the beast radical 豸 with phonetic and semantic elements that likely relate to its legendary status. The exact historical development is uncertain, but it is traditionally associated with a brave mythical creature.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side 豸 suggests a fierce animal, while the right side looks like a bold, armored creature with a shield (囗) and legs (比). Picture a brave heraldic beast standing guard.
Reading mnemonic
For ヒ, imagine the beast letting out a fierce 'hee' sound as it charges into battle: hee -> ヒ, like the brave cry of a heraldic animal.