狀
form, appearance, shape, official
StatusJinmeiyō (variant)Strokes9
Readings
On'yomi
- ジョウ
Kun'yomi
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Meaning
狀 centers on the visible form or outward appearance of something, including its shape, condition, or official presentation.
Study
Etymology
狀 combines 爿 (a bed or board) with 犬 (dog), originally depicting a dog's form or appearance. The character later extended to mean form or shape in general.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side 爿 suggests a flat surface, and the right side 犬 is a dog. Imagine a dog standing on a platform, showing its form and appearance clearly.
Reading mnemonic
For ジョウ, picture a dog on a stage showing its form while a judge (ジョウ) evaluates its appearance: judge -> ジョウ.