悽
be sad, be sorrowful
Strokes11
Readings
On'yomi
- セイ
Kun'yomi
- いたむ
Meaning
悽 centers on a state of sadness or sorrow, describing the feeling of being emotionally pained or grieved.
Most common words using 悽
- 悽愴せいそう
pathetic; dreadful
Study
Etymology
悽 combines the heart radical 忄 with 妻, which likely contributes the sound and may suggest a wife's sorrow or emotional pain, though the exact historical development is uncertain.
Meaning mnemonic
The heart radical 忄 beside 妻 suggests a wife's heart weighed down by sadness. Picture a sorrowful wife grieving, her heart heavy with emotion.
Reading mnemonic
For セイ, imagine a sad wife saying a solemn 'say' (セイ) as she expresses her sorrow: 'say' -> セイ, and her heart is full of grief.