悁

anger, worry, impatience

Strokes10

Readings

On'yomi

エン
ケン

Kun'yomi

—

Meaning

悁 centers on a restless, agitated state of mind: anger, worry, and impatience all share a sense of inner turmoil and inability to stay calm.

Study

Etymology

悁 combines the heart radical 忄 with the phonetic component 肙, suggesting a state of mind associated with the sound エン or ケン. The exact historical development is uncertain.

Meaning mnemonic

The heart radical 忄 beside 肙 (a shape that can suggest a small worm or a narrow opening) paints a picture of a heart that is cramped and squirming—leading to anger, worry, and impatience.

Reading mnemonic

For エン, imagine your heart squirming with impatience at the end of a long line: end -> エン, and the frustration builds inside.