皃
countenance, appearance
Strokes7
Readings
On'yomi
- ボウ
- バク
Kun'yomi
- かたち
- かたどる
Meaning
皃 centers on the visible outer form of a person or thing: countenance, facial appearance, or general look. It is a rare kanji for describing how something appears.
Study
Etymology
皃 is an older form of 貌, combining 白 (white) and 儿 (human legs) to suggest a person's visible appearance or facial expression. The exact historical development is uncertain, but it is related to the idea of outward form.
Meaning mnemonic
The top 白 (white) suggests a blank canvas, and the bottom 儿 (human legs) suggests a person. Together, they represent the outward appearance or countenance that a person presents to the world.
Reading mnemonic
For ボウ, imagine a person's countenance being displayed on a big bow (ボウ) at a ceremony: the bow cues ボウ, and the appearance is what everyone sees.