屏
wall, fence
Readings
On'yomi
- ヘイ
- ビョウ
Kun'yomi
- おお.う
- しりぞ.く
- びょう.ぶ
Meaning
屏 centers on a physical barrier that divides or encloses space: a wall or fence. It can also extend to the idea of screening or shielding something from view.
Most common words using 屏
- 屏風びょうぶ
folding screen
- 金屏風きんびょうぶ
folding screen covered with gold leaf
- 南蛮屏風なんばんびょうぶ
painted folding screen with scenes of early European visitors to Japan
- 屏居へいきょ
living in retirement
- 屏息へいそく
bated breath; being cowed into silence
- 屏禁へいきん
solitary confinement
- 屏風岩びょうぶいわ
sheer cliff
- 屏風絵びょうぶえ
picture drawn on a folding screen
- 枕屏風まくらびょうぶ
bed(side) screen
- 藩屏はんぺい
fence; bulwark; guarding wall
- 重屏禁じゅうへいきん
solitary confinement in a dark cell without bedding (for up to one week)
- 障屏しょうへい
partitions in a Japanese house (e.g. screens, sliding doors, etc.)
Study
Etymology
屏 combines 尸 (a roof or covering) with 并, which likely contributes the sound. The character originally referred to a screen or partition inside a building, later extending to walls and fences.
Meaning mnemonic
The outer 尸 is like a roof or cover, and inside 并 looks like two panels joined together. Picture a folding screen or a wall made of connected panels under a roof: 屏 is a wall or fence.
Reading mnemonic
For ヘイ, imagine a wall so tall it reaches the heavens: 'hey' (ヘイ) is what you shout to get someone's attention over the fence.