Skip to content
Kotomora

怛

be sad, be dejected, fear

Strokes8

Readings

On'yomi

  • ダツ
  • タン
  • タツ

Kun'yomi

  • いた.む

Meaning

怛 centers on a heavy, downcast emotional state: sadness, dejection, and the fear that often accompanies deep distress.

Study

Etymology

怛 combines the heart radical 忄 with 旦, which likely contributes a phonetic element. The exact historical development is uncertain, but the heart component points to an emotional state.

Meaning mnemonic

The heart radical 忄 beside 旦 (dawn) suggests a heart weighed down at daybreak—feeling sad, dejected, or afraid as the new day begins.

Reading mnemonic

For ダツ, imagine a sad person muttering "dats just my luck" in dejection: dats -> ダツ, and the heart sinks with fear.