翼
wing, plane, flank
Readings
On'yomi
- ヨク
Kun'yomi
- つばさ
Meaning
翼 centers on the idea of a wing: the limb that enables flight. The meanings 'plane' and 'flank' are natural extensions—an airplane wing and the side of a formation or body that resembles a wing.
Most common words using 翼
20 of 95- 翼つばさN2
wing
- 左翼さよくN1
left wing
- 右翼うよくN1
right wing
- 翼賛よくさん
supporting (e.g. a government); backing up; assistance; countenance
- 尾翼びよく
tail (of an aircraft); empennage; tail assembly
- 一翼いちよく
one wing
- 主翼しゅよく
main wings (of an aeroplane, airplane)
- 両翼りょうよく
both wings; both flanks
- 比翼ひよく
wings abreast (e.g. birds in flight)
- 銀翼ぎんよく
silvery wings
- 最右翼さいうよく
dominant person; preeminent person; strongest contender
- オルタナ右翼オルタナうよく
alt-right (ideology)
- スロット翼スロットよく
slotted wing
- ネット右翼ネットうよく
online right-wingers
- 一翼を担ういちよくをになう
to play a part; to get involved; to take a share; to share the burden
- 三角翼さんかくよく
delta wing
- 上翼じょうよく
upper wing of a plane
- 下げ翼さげよく
wing flap
- 低翼ていよく
low-wing
- 全翼機ぜんよくき
flying wing
Study
Etymology
翼 combines 羽 (feathers, wings) with 異, which likely contributes the sound and may have originally depicted a winged creature or a mask with wings. The character consistently represents wings or wing-like structures.
Meaning mnemonic
Feathers 羽 on top of a strange, large shape 異: imagine a bird with unusually large, distinctive wings. That's 翼, a wing.
Reading mnemonic
For ヨク, picture a yoke (ヨク) used to harness a bird's wings. The yoke controls the wings, and 'yoke' sounds just like ヨク.