寥
lonely
Strokes14
Readings
On'yomi
- リョウ
Kun'yomi
- さび.しい
Meaning
寥 centers on emptiness and isolation: a lonely, desolate state where something is missing or sparse.
Most common words using 寥
Study
Etymology
寥 combines 宀 (roof) with 翏, which likely contributes the sound and carries a sense of emptiness or high, open space. The exact historical development of 翏 is uncertain.
Meaning mnemonic
Under a roof 宀, the empty, echoing shape of 翏 suggests a vast, lonely hall. Picture a single person in a huge, silent room: that is the loneliness of 寥.
Reading mnemonic
For リョウ, imagine a lone traveler named Ryo standing in that empty hall: Ryo -> リョウ, and his solitude fills the space.