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Kotomora

彙

same kind, collect, classify, category, hedgehog

StatusJōyō · secondary schoolStrokes13

Readings

On'yomi

  • イ

Kun'yomi

  • はりねずみ

Meaning

彙 centers on grouping things of the same kind: collecting, classifying, or forming a category. The hedgehog meaning is a rare, unrelated sense that does not connect to the main idea.

Most common words using 彙

20 of 23

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Study

Etymology

彙 originally depicted a hedgehog, with 彑 representing the head and spines. The modern form adds 果 below, but the historical connection between the hedgehog image and the abstract grouping meanings is uncertain.

Meaning mnemonic

The top 彑 looks like a spiky hedgehog, and the bottom 果 suggests fruit. Imagine a hedgehog collecting fruit of the same kind and sorting them into categories.

Reading mnemonic

For イ, picture an eagle (イーグル) collecting hedgehogs and sorting them by kind: eagle -> イ, and the eagle classifies its spiky collection.