駝
hunchback, load
Readings
On'yomi
- ダ
- タ
Kun'yomi
- せむし
Meaning
駝 centers on a curved, burdened back: a hunchback or a camel-like animal used for carrying loads. The two meanings connect through the image of a bent spine under weight.
Most common words using 駝
- 駝鳥だちょう
ostrich (Struthio camelus)
- 駱駝らくだ
camel
- アメリカ駝鳥アメリカだちょう
rhea (bird of family Rheidae)
- 単峰駱駝たんぽうらくだ
Arabian camel; dromedary; one-hump camel
- 双峰駱駝そうほうらくだ
two-humped camel; Bactrian camel
- 駱駝炭らくだずみ
charcoal burned in an earthen kiln
- 駱駝虫らくだむし
inocelliid snakefly (any insect of family Inocelliidae)
- 鷸駝鳥しぎだちょう
tinamou (any bird of family Tinamidae)
Study
Etymology
駝 combines 馬 (horse) with 它, which likely contributes the sound and may suggest a bent or burdened shape. The character originally referred to a camel or pack animal, later extended to hunchback.
Meaning mnemonic
A horse (馬) with a curved back (它) carries a heavy load, like a camel or a person with a hunchback.
Reading mnemonic
For ダ, imagine a hunchbacked camel carrying a load of dark (ダーク) goods: dark -> ダ, and the bent back supports the weight.