欏
horse-chestnut tree
Readings
On'yomi
- ラ
Kun'yomi
- やまなし
Meaning
欏 refers specifically to the horse-chestnut tree, a type of tree known for its large leaves and spiky fruit. The meaning is narrow and botanical, without broader abstract extensions.
Most common words using 欏
- 日陰杪欏ひかげへご
brush pot tree (Cyathea lepifera); flying spider-monkey tree fern
Study
Etymology
欏 is a phono-semantic compound: the left 木 (tree) indicates the meaning, while the right 羅 (ラ) provides the sound. The character was created specifically to name the horse-chestnut tree.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side is 木 (tree), and the right side 羅 looks like a net (罒) over a bird (隹) with threads (糸). Imagine a tree whose large leaves and spiky fruit look like a net catching birds—this is the horse-chestnut tree.
Reading mnemonic
For ラ, picture a horse-chestnut tree with a large, spreading canopy that provides shade like a natural umbrella: la (ラ) sounds like the beginning of 'lawn' under the tree.