賚
gift
Strokes15
Readings
On'yomi
- ライ
Kun'yomi
- たま.う
- たまもの
Meaning
賚 centers on giving something valuable as a gift, often with a sense of bestowal or reward.
Most common words using 賚
- 恩賚みたまのふゆ
divine grace; divine protection; boon from the gods (or the emperor, etc.)
Study
Etymology
賚 combines 來 (come) and 貝 (shell, money), suggesting something of value that comes to someone as a gift. The exact historical development is uncertain.
Meaning mnemonic
Imagine a shell (貝) coming (來) to you as a precious gift. The top component 來 looks like a person arriving with something, and the bottom 貝 is the treasure they bring.
Reading mnemonic
For ライ, picture a gift wrapped in a bright lie (ライ) of ribbon: lie -> ライ, and the shell (貝) comes (來) to you as a present.