鑣
horse's bit, bridle, ride
Strokes23
Readings
On'yomi
- ヒョウ
Kun'yomi
- くつわ
Meaning
鑣 centers on the metal bit placed in a horse's mouth, and by extension the bridle that holds it and the act of riding a horse.
Study
Etymology
鑣 combines 金 (metal) with 麃, which likely contributes the sound and may originally depict a deer-like animal, together suggesting a metal bit for a horse.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side 金 (metal) and the right side 麃 (which looks like a deer with fire underneath) can be remembered as a metal bit that controls a spirited horse as if taming a fiery deer.
Reading mnemonic
For ヒョウ, imagine a horse's bit made of metal that gleams like a hyou (豹, panther) in the sun: hyou -> ヒョウ, and the panther's sleek control mirrors the bit's function.