噬
bite
Strokes16
Readings
On'yomi
- ゼイ
Kun'yomi
- か.む
Meaning
噬 centers on the act of biting, with a focus on the mouth's action of seizing or cutting with the teeth.
Most common words using 噬
Study
Etymology
噬 combines 口 (mouth) with 筮, which likely contributes the sound. The exact historical development of 筮 is uncertain, but the overall structure suggests a phono-semantic compound related to biting.
Meaning mnemonic
The mouth 口 on the left is ready to bite, and the right side 筮 looks like a complex tool or set of teeth. Imagine a mouth clamping down with a sharp, tool-like bite.
Reading mnemonic
For ゼイ, picture a zany animal giving a playful bite: zany -> ゼイ, and the mouth 口 snaps shut.