筱
dwarf bamboo, diminutive in person's name
Strokes13
Readings
On'yomi
- ゾウ
- ショウ
Kun'yomi
- しの
Meaning
筱 centers on a type of small bamboo, and by extension can be used as a diminutive element in personal names.
Study
Etymology
筱 combines 竹 (bamboo) with 攸, which likely contributes the sound. The character specifically refers to a variety of small bamboo.
Meaning mnemonic
The top 竹 is bamboo, and the bottom 攸 looks like a person with a stick. Imagine a tiny person holding a stick of dwarf bamboo: 筱 is that small bamboo.
Reading mnemonic
For ゾウ, picture a small bamboo grove where a zone of tiny shoots grows: zone -> ゾウ, and the dwarf bamboo fills that zone.