痙
have a cramp
Readings
On'yomi
- ケイ
Kun'yomi
- つ.る
- ひきつ.る
Meaning
痙 centers on an involuntary, painful muscle contraction: having a cramp or spasm.
Most common words using 痙
- 痙攣けいれんN1
convulsion; cramp; spasm; tic; twitch; fit
- 咬痙こうけい
lockjaw; trismus
- 家族性痙性対麻痺かぞくせいけいせいたいまひ
familial spastic paraplegia
- 書痙しょけい
writer's cramp
- 気管支痙攣きかんしけいれん
bronchospasm; bronchial spasm
- 痙性斜頸けいせいしゃけい
cervical dystonia; spasmodic torticollis
- 痙性麻痺けいせいまひ
spastic paralysis
- 痙攣を起こすけいれんをおこす
to have convulsions
- 痙縮けいしゅく
spasticity; contracture; (muscle) stiffness
- 眼瞼痙攣がんけんけいれん
blepharospasm; spasmodic winking
- 胃痙攣いけいれん
gastrospasm; stomach spasm; stomach cramps
- 膣痙攣ちつけいれん
vaginismus; vaginal spasm
- 鎮痙ちんけい
spasmolysis
- 鎮痙剤ちんけいざい
antispasmodic drug; spasmolytic drug; anticonvulsant drug
- 鎮痙薬ちんけいやく
antispasmodic drug; spasmolytic drug; anticonvulsant drug
- 顔面痙攣がんめんけいれん
facial spasm; facial tic
Study
Etymology
痙 combines 疒 (sickness) with 巠, which likely contributes the sound ケイ. The character expresses a sickness involving muscle tension or cramping.
Meaning mnemonic
The sickness enclosure 疒 wraps around 巠, which looks like a tense, knotted shape. Picture a muscle knotting up painfully under the skin, causing a cramp.
Reading mnemonic
For ケイ, imagine a cramp so sharp it makes you say 'K!' and then 'A!' — the two sounds blend into ケイ as the muscle seizes.