攷
examine, test, investigate
Strokes6
Readings
On'yomi
- コウ
Kun'yomi
- かんが.える
Meaning
攷 centers on careful examination: testing, investigating, or scrutinizing something to understand it better.
Study
Etymology
攷 combines 丂 (a pictograph of breath or vapor) with 攵 (a hand holding a stick), suggesting the action of examining or testing something closely. The exact historical development is uncertain.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side 丂 looks like a question mark or a breath of doubt, and the right side 攵 is a hand with a stick. Imagine a detective poking and prodding at a mystery, examining every clue.
Reading mnemonic
For コウ, picture a detective examining a crime scene and saying 'Aha!' when they find a clue: 'Aha!' sounds like コウ, and the detective is investigating.