嫋
supple, pliant, delicate, slender
Strokes13
Readings
On'yomi
- ジョウ
- ジャク
- デキ
Kun'yomi
- なよ.やかな
- しなや.か
- たお.やか
Meaning
嫋 centers on a graceful, yielding quality: something supple, pliant, delicate, or slender, often with a feminine or elegant nuance.
Most common words using 嫋
- 余韻嫋々よいんじょうじょう
(sound) lingering in the air; trailing notes (of a bell, etc.)
Study
Etymology
嫋 combines 女 (woman) with 弱 (weak, soft), suggesting a womanly softness or delicacy. The exact historical development is uncertain, but the component relationship is straightforward.
Meaning mnemonic
A woman 女 beside 弱 (weak, soft) evokes a slender, supple figure that moves with delicate grace.
Reading mnemonic
For ジョウ, imagine a supple willow branch swaying gently: the soft 'joh' sound of the wind through the leaves cues ジョウ, and the branch bends without breaking.