榿
alder
Strokes14
Readings
On'yomi
- ガイ
- カイ
Kun'yomi
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Meaning
榿 refers specifically to the alder tree, a type of deciduous tree in the birch family.
Study
Etymology
榿 is a phono-semantic compound: the left side 木 (tree) indicates the meaning, while the right side 豈 likely contributes the sound. The exact historical development is uncertain.
Meaning mnemonic
The tree radical 木 on the left tells you this is a type of tree. The right side 豈 looks like a complex shape, but just remember it's the alder tree.
Reading mnemonic
For ガイ, imagine a guy planting an alder tree: guy -> ガイ, and he's holding a sapling with the 木 radical.