嶙
precipitous
Strokes15
Readings
On'yomi
- リン
Kun'yomi
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Meaning
嶙 describes a steep, sheer, and dangerously abrupt landscape, like a cliff or mountain face that drops away sharply.
Study
Etymology
嶙 combines 山 (mountain) with 粦, which likely contributes the sound リン and may relate to a steep or jagged quality. The exact historical development of 粦 is uncertain.
Meaning mnemonic
The mountain radical 山 on the left stands beside 粦, which looks like a jumble of sharp, uneven strokes. Picture a mountain so steep and jagged that its face is a sheer precipice.
Reading mnemonic
For リン, imagine a mountain climber clinging to a precipitous ledge, holding on by a thin ring: ring -> リン, and one slip means a sheer drop.