齦
gums
Strokes21
Readings
On'yomi
- ギン
- コン
Kun'yomi
- はぐき
Meaning
齦 refers specifically to the gums, the flesh surrounding the teeth.
Most common words using 齦
Study
Etymology
齦 combines 齒 (tooth) with 艮, which likely contributes the sound. The character is a phono-semantic compound for gums.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side 齒 means tooth, and the right side 艮 looks like a firm, fleshy base. Picture the gums as the foundation holding the teeth in place.
Reading mnemonic
For ギン, imagine a grinning mouth showing healthy gums: grin -> ギン, and the gums are visible when you grin.