兜
helmet, head piece
Readings
On'yomi
- トウ
- ト
Kun'yomi
- かぶと
Meaning
兜 centers on protective headgear: a helmet or head piece worn for defense.
Most common words using 兜
- 兜かぶと
helmet (of a warrior); headpiece
- 兜蟹かぶとがに
horseshoe crab
- 鳥兜とりかぶと
aconite (esp. species Aconitum japonicum); wolfsbane; monkshood
- 兜巾ときん
tokin; small black headgear worn by yamabushi
- 兜の緒を締めるかぶとのおをしめる
to brace oneself (e.g. for battle); to pull oneself together; to focus one's mind; to tighten the strings of one's helmet
- 兜を脱ぐかぶとをぬぐ
to accept one's inferiority; to take one's hat off to someone
- 兜合わせかぶとあわせ
frot (sex act)
- 兜率とそつ
Tusita (heaven, pure land)
- 兜率天とそつてん
Tusita heaven (one of the six heavens of the desire realm); Tushita
- 兜町かぶとちょう
Kabutochō (neighbourhood of Nihonbashi, Tokyo, where the Tokyo Stock Exchange is located)
- 兜蝦かぶとえび
tadpole shrimp (Triopsidae spp.); shield shrimp
- 兜頭巾かぶとずきん
helmet-shaped hood
- 兜魚かぶとうお
large-headed midnight fish (Poromitra crassiceps)
- 内兜うちかぶと
inside of a helmet; hidden circumstances
- 勝って兜の緒を締めよかってかぶとのおをしめよ
do not let your guard down after a victory; tighten the strings of your helmet after winning
- 角兜つのかぶと
spiked helmet
- 鉄兜てつかぶと
steel helmet
- 頭形兜ずなりかぶと
zunari helmet (made from 3-5 pieces of metal)
Study
Etymology
兜 is thought to depict a helmet covering the head, with the upper part representing the helmet and the lower 儿 suggesting a person. The exact historical development is uncertain.
Meaning mnemonic
The top part looks like a protective shell with 白 inside, and the bottom 儿 resembles a person. Imagine a warrior with a white-crested helmet covering their head.
Reading mnemonic
For トウ, picture a tough helmet taking a blow: tough -> トウ, and the helmet protects the head.