屓
exerting strength
Readings
On'yomi
- キ
Kun'yomi
—
Meaning
屓 centers on the idea of exerting physical strength or effort, often with a sense of straining or pushing forcefully.
Most common words using 屓
- 贔屓ひいきN1
favour; favor; patronage; favouritism; favoritism; partiality
- 贔屓びいき
liking something; being partial to something; -phile
- 贔屓目ひいきめ
seeing things in a favourable light (favorable)
- 依怙贔屓えこひいき
favoritism; favouritism; partiality; prejudice; bias
- 縁者贔屓えんじゃびいき
nepotism
- 贔屓ひき
bixi; dragon with the shell of a turtle (Chinese mythology)
- 贔屓にするひいきにする
to favor; to favour; to show favor to; to show favour to; to be partial to; to be a regular customer of
- 贔屓の引き倒しひいきのひきたおし
doing someone a disservice by showing too much partiality; overly favouring someone to their detriment
- 贔屓目に見るひいきめにみる
to view in a favourable light; to look favourably on
- 贔屓贔屓ひいきびいき
each person supporting (patronizing) his (her) own favorite
Study
Etymology
屓 combines 尸 (a body or flag) with 貝 (shell), but the historical origin of this specific combination is uncertain. It may have originally depicted a person straining under a load, but the exact development is unclear.
Meaning mnemonic
Imagine a person (尸) lifting a heavy shell (貝) with great effort, straining every muscle to exert strength.
Reading mnemonic
For キ, picture a key (キー) being turned with great force, as if exerting strength to unlock something heavy.