姸
beautiful
Strokes8
Readings
On'yomi
- ケン
- ゲン
Kun'yomi
- うつくしい
Meaning
姸 centers on the idea of beauty, particularly as a quality of appearance or form.
Study
Etymology
姸 combines 女 (woman) with 幵, which likely contributes a phonetic element. The exact historical development of 幵 is uncertain, but the character is associated with feminine beauty.
Meaning mnemonic
A woman 女 beside the balanced shape 幵 suggests a poised, beautiful figure. Picture a graceful woman whose form is as harmonious as the symmetrical lines of 幵.
Reading mnemonic
For ケン, imagine a beautiful woman named Ken who embodies elegance: Ken -> ケン, and her beauty is the meaning of 姸.