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Kotomora

刋

cut, whittle

Strokes5

Readings

On'yomi

  • カン
  • セン

Kun'yomi

  • き.る
  • けず.る

Meaning

刋 centers on cutting or shaving material away: to cut, whittle, or carve by removing thin layers.

Study

Etymology

刋 is a rare character. It combines 刂 (knife) with 千, which may have contributed the sound, but the exact historical development is uncertain.

Meaning mnemonic

A knife 刂 beside a thousand 千 thin shavings: imagine whittling a piece of wood, cutting away a thousand tiny curls.

Reading mnemonic

For カン, picture a can being cut open with a knife: can -> カン, and the knife 刂 slices through the metal.