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Kotomora

敝

be worn-out, be dilapidated, be defeated

Strokes12

Readings

On'yomi

  • ヘイ

Kun'yomi

  • やぶ.れる

Meaning

敝 centers on a state of decline or ruin: something that is worn-out, dilapidated, or defeated. The meanings share the idea of being broken down or past its prime.

Study

Etymology

敝 is thought to combine 㡀 (torn cloth) with 攵 (hand holding a stick), suggesting cloth being beaten or struck until worn out. The modern form preserves this idea of something tattered or ruined.

Meaning mnemonic

The left side 㡀 looks like torn cloth, and the right side 攵 is a hand with a stick. Imagine beating old cloth until it's completely worn-out and dilapidated.

Reading mnemonic

For ヘイ, picture a worn-out piece of cloth being used as a hay (ヘイ) sack: hay -> ヘイ, and the sack is so dilapidated it's falling apart.