壎
instrument
Strokes17
Readings
On'yomi
- ケン
- クン
Kun'yomi
- つちぶえ
- はち
- わん
Meaning
壎 refers to a specific musical instrument, an ancient Chinese ocarina-like wind instrument made of clay. The meaning is narrow and concrete, centered on this instrument.
Most common words using 壎
- 壎けん
xun (ancient Chinese musical instrument resembling a clay ocarina)
Study
Etymology
壎 combines 土 (earth, clay) with 熏, which likely contributes the sound. The instrument was traditionally made of baked clay, so the earth radical fits semantically.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side 土 (earth) shows the material: clay. The right side 熏 looks like a complex shape that could be the instrument's body with holes. Picture a clay wind instrument being shaped from earth.
Reading mnemonic
For ケン, imagine a musician named Ken playing this clay instrument: Ken -> ケン, and the earthy tones fill the air.