纔
a little
Strokes23
Readings
On'yomi
- サン
- ザン
- サイ
Kun'yomi
- わずか
- ひたた
Meaning
纔 centers on a small amount or degree: a little, barely, or just a trace. It expresses minimal quantity or extent.
Most common words using 纔
- 纔ひたた
just a tiny bit
Study
Etymology
纔 combines 糸 (thread) with 毚, which likely contributes the sound. The thread component may relate to the idea of something fine or slight, but the exact historical development is uncertain.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side 糸 suggests a fine thread, and the complex right side 毚 looks like a tiny, intricate tangle. Together they picture something so small it is barely there—just a little.
Reading mnemonic
For サン, imagine a tiny sunbeam (サン) shining through a needle's eye, so small it is just a little light: sun -> サン, and the thread 糸 is barely visible.