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Kotomora

劃

divide

Strokes14

Readings

On'yomi

  • カク

Kun'yomi

  • わ.かつ
  • くぎ.る

Meaning

劃 centers on the act of dividing or marking a boundary, as if drawing a line to separate one area from another.

Study

Etymology

劃 combines 畫 (draw, mark) with 刂 (knife), suggesting dividing by drawing a line or cutting. The exact historical development is uncertain, but the component relationship is clear.

Meaning mnemonic

The left side 畫 looks like a brush drawing a line, and the right side 刂 is a knife. Together they show dividing something by drawing a cutting line.

Reading mnemonic

For カク, imagine drawing a dividing line on a canvas with a quick, sharp stroke: the sound of the stroke is 'kak', like a knife cutting, which cues カク.