扠
well, now
Strokes6
Readings
On'yomi
- サ
Kun'yomi
- さて
- さ.す
Meaning
扠 is a rare kanji used as an interjection or conjunction meaning "well" or "now," often to shift attention or introduce a new topic. Its standalone meaning is limited to these discourse functions.
Study
Etymology
The exact historical development of 扠 is uncertain. It combines 扌 (hand) with 叉, but whether this is a phono-semantic compound or a later formation is unclear.
Meaning mnemonic
Imagine a hand (扌) holding a fork (叉) to get attention: "Well, now, let's eat!" The fork and hand together cue the interjection.
Reading mnemonic
For サ, picture someone saying "Well, now..." and then pointing with their hand (扌) at a saucer (サ) on the table: saucer -> サ.