躯
body, corpse, tree with rotten core
Readings
On'yomi
- ク
Kun'yomi
- むくろ
- からだ
Meaning
躯 centers on the physical body, especially as a container or shell. It can refer to a living body, a corpse, or metaphorically to a tree with a rotten core, emphasizing the outer form rather than inner vitality.
Most common words using 躯
- 躯むくろ
(dead) body; corpse
- 体躯たいく
body; physique; build; stature
- 巨躯きょく
big frame; large figure; huge body
- 全躯ぜんく
the whole body
- 病躯びょうく
sick body; sickly constitution
- 痩躯そうく
lean figure; slender figure
- 短躯たんく
short stature
- 矮躯わいく
small stature
- 老躯ろうく
one's old bones; aged body
- 衰躯すいく
emaciated body
- 躯く
counter for Buddhist images (statues and paintings)
- 躯体くたい
frame (of a building); framework; skeleton
- 躯幹くかん
body; trunk; torso; physique
- 長身痩躯ちょうしんそうく
tall and lean figure; tall and slender figure
- 長躯ちょうく
tall figure
Study
Etymology
躯 combines 身 (body) with 区, which likely contributes the sound. The character originally referred to the physical body or corpse. The modern simplified form uses 区 instead of the older 區.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side 身 is a body, and the right side 区 looks like a partitioned area. Imagine a body being placed into a coffin-like compartment, emphasizing the outer shell.
Reading mnemonic
For ク, picture a cool body lying still: cool -> ク, and the body is just an empty shell.