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Kotomora

櫱

yeast, leaven for making liquors

Strokes20

Readings

On'yomi

  • ゲツ
  • ゲチ
  • ガツ
  • ガチ

Kun'yomi

  • ひこばえ

Meaning

櫱 centers on a fermenting agent used in brewing: yeast or leaven that starts the process of making alcoholic liquors.

Study

Etymology

櫱 is a rare character whose exact historical development is uncertain. The modern form visually combines 辥 (a complex component possibly related to crime or punishment) with 木 (tree/wood), but the connection to yeast or leaven is not clearly established.

Meaning mnemonic

The top 辥 looks like a tangled mass of ingredients, and the bottom 木 suggests a wooden vat. Picture a wooden fermentation tub filled with bubbling yeast starter for brewing.

Reading mnemonic

For ゲツ, imagine a brewer getting the yeast ready: 'get' the leaven -> ゲツ, as you get the fermentation going in the wooden vat.