恿
instigate, incite, to alarm
Strokes11
Readings
On'yomi
- ヨウ
- ユ
- トウ
- ツ
Kun'yomi
- いさ.む
Meaning
恿 centers on stirring up strong emotion or action in someone: instigating, inciting, or alarming them into a reaction.
Study
Etymology
恿 combines 甬 (a phonetic component suggesting 'to emerge' or 'to push through') with 心 (heart/mind), likely expressing the idea of stirring up emotions or urging action from within.
Meaning mnemonic
The top 甬 looks like a sprout pushing through, and the bottom 心 is the heart. Picture a strong feeling pushing up from the heart, inciting someone to act or alarming them.
Reading mnemonic
For ヨウ, imagine a yodel echoing from the heart, stirring everyone up: yodel -> ヨウ, and the sound incites a reaction.