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Kotomora

痘

pox, smallpox

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · secondary schoolStrokes12

Readings

On'yomi

  • トウ

Kun'yomi

—

Meaning

痘 centers on a specific eruptive disease: pox, especially smallpox. The meaning is tightly tied to the illness itself.

Most common words using 痘

  • 天然痘てんねんとう

    smallpox; variola

  • 痘痕あばた

    pockmark

  • 水痘すいとう

    chickenpox; chicken pox; varicella

  • 痘痕いも

    smallpox

  • 種痘しゅとう

    smallpox vaccination; inoculation against smallpox

  • M痘エムとう

    mpox; monkeypox

  • サル痘さるとう

    monkeypox; mpox

  • 人痘接種法じんとうせっしゅほう

    variolation

  • 人痘法じんとうほう

    variolation

  • 人痘種痘法じんとうしゅとうほう

    variolation

  • 仮痘かとう

    varioloid

  • 牛痘ぎゅうとう

    cowpox; vaccinia

  • 痘痕とうこん

    pockmark

  • 痘痕も笑窪あばたもえくぼ

    love is blind; (when in love) even pockmarks are dimples

  • 痘瘡とうそう

    smallpox; variola

  • 痘苗とうびょう

    vaccine

  • 発痘はっとう

    outbreak (of pox)

  • 羊痘ひつじとう

    orf; contagious pustular dermatitis; sheep pox; scabby mouth

  • 鶏痘けいとう

    fowl pox

Explore all words using 痘 →

Study

Etymology

痘 combines 疒 (sickness) with 豆, which likely contributes the sound トウ and may have been chosen for its visual resemblance to pustules or its phonetic value.

Meaning mnemonic

The sickness enclosure 疒 wraps around 豆, which looks like a bean but here suggests small round pox marks. Picture a sickness that covers the body with bean-like pustules.

Reading mnemonic

For トウ, imagine a toe swollen with a pox sore: toe -> トウ, and the sickness enclosure reminds you it's a disease.