猗
luxuriant growth, gentle, docile
Strokes11
Readings
On'yomi
- イ
- ア
Kun'yomi
- ああ
Meaning
猗 centers on a soft, flourishing quality: something growing richly and abundantly, yet remaining gentle and yielding rather than harsh.
Most common words using 猗
- 陶朱猗頓の富とうしゅいとんのとみ
great wealth; very wealthy person
Study
Etymology
猗 combines 犭 (dog/beast) with 奇 (unusual, strange). The exact historical development is uncertain, but it likely originally described the lush, gentle movement or appearance of an animal, later extended to luxuriant growth and docility.
Meaning mnemonic
A strange beast (奇) with a dog-like shape (犭) moves through a lush, overgrown forest. Its steps are gentle and quiet, and the plants around it grow thick and soft.
Reading mnemonic
For イ, imagine the gentle beast saying 'ee' (like a soft, docile sound) as it brushes past the luxuriant leaves: 'ee' -> イ.