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Kotomora

妺

wife of the last ruler of the Xia dynasty

Strokes8

Readings

On'yomi

  • バイ
  • バツ
  • マチ
  • マツ

Kun'yomi

  • あざな

Meaning

妺 refers specifically to the wife of the last ruler of the Xia dynasty, a historical figure. Its meaning is a narrow proper-name usage rather than a general concept.

Study

Etymology

妺 combines 女 (woman) with 末, which likely serves as a phonetic component. The character is a proper name from ancient Chinese history, and its exact historical development is uncertain.

Meaning mnemonic

The woman radical 女 beside 末 suggests a specific woman from the end (末 can mean 'end') of a dynasty: the last Xia ruler's wife.

Reading mnemonic

For バイ, imagine the wife waving bye to the dynasty as it falls: bye -> バイ, and she is the last ruler's wife.