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Kotomora

絃

string, cord, samisen music

JLPTN1StatusJinmeiyōStrokes11

Readings

On'yomi

  • ゲン

Kun'yomi

  • いと

Meaning

絃 centers on a thin, flexible line used for tying or producing sound: a string or cord. The samisen music sense is a natural extension, referring to the instrument's strings.

Most common words using 絃

  • 絃げん

    string (of a shamisen, etc.)

  • 五絃琴ごげんきん

    five-stringed instrument; pentachord

  • 絃声げんせい

    sound of the strings

  • 絃妓げんぎ

    geisha; woman who entertains (e.g. by playing the shamisen) for her living

Explore all words using 絃 →

Study

Etymology

絃 combines 糸 (thread) with 玄, which likely contributes the sound and may relate to dark or mysterious, but the exact historical development is uncertain.

Meaning mnemonic

The left side 糸 is thread, and the right side 玄 looks like a twisted strand. Picture a thread being twisted into a strong cord used for a samisen's strings.

Reading mnemonic

For ゲン, imagine a genie emerging from a twisted cord: genie -> ゲン, and the cord vibrates with magical music.