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Kotomora

偶

accidentally, even number, couple, man & wife, same kind

JLPTN3StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 2,000Strokes11

Readings

On'yomi

  • グウ

Kun'yomi

  • たま

Meaning

偶 centers on things that come together by chance or in pairs: an accidental meeting, a couple, or two things of the same kind. The 'even number' sense is a natural extension of pairing.

Most common words using 偶

20 of 74
  • 偶たま
    N3

    occasional; infrequent; rare

  • 偶ぐう

    even number; even

  • 偶然ぐうぜん
    N3

    coincidence; chance; accident; fortuity

  • 偶にたまに
    N4

    occasionally; once in a while; now and then

  • 配偶はいぐう

    combination

  • 偶像ぐうぞう
    N1

    image; idol; statue

  • 偶発ぐうはつ

    sudden outbreak; accidental; incidental

  • 偶数ぐうすう
    N2

    even number

  • 土偶どぐう

    earthen figure; clay figure

  • 対偶たいぐう

    pair; couple

  • 木偶でく

    wooden doll; wooden figure

  • 配偶者はいぐうしゃ
    N1

    spouse; wife; husband; partner

  • 偶さかたまさか

    coincidentally; by chance; unexpectedly; accidentally; randomly

  • 偶人ぐうじん

    puppet; doll

  • 偶作ぐうさく

    something accidentally accomplished; two working together

  • 偶像化ぐうぞうか

    idolization; idolisation

  • 偶像崇拝ぐうぞうすうはい

    idolatry; idol worship

  • 偶像崇拝者ぐうぞうすうはいしゃ

    idol worshipper; idol worshiper; idolater

  • 偶像教ぐうぞうきょう

    idolatry

  • 偶像教徒的ぐうぞうきょうとてき

    idolatrous

Explore all words using 偶 →

Study

Etymology

偶 combines 亻 (person) with 禺, which likely contributes the sound and the idea of pairing or meeting. The exact historical development of 禺 is uncertain, but the character has long been associated with pairs and chance encounters.

Meaning mnemonic

A person 亻 beside 禺, which looks like a pair of stacked boxes with a hook. Imagine two people accidentally meeting and forming a couple, like two matching boxes clicked together.

Reading mnemonic

For グウ, imagine a couple accidentally bumping into each other and saying 'Goo!' in surprise: goo -> グウ, and the accidental meeting makes them a pair.