耆

senility

Strokes10

Readings

On'yomi

Kun'yomi

おい.る

Meaning

耆 centers on the decline of mental faculties with age: senility. It is a specific term for age-related cognitive deterioration.

Most common words using 耆

伯耆ほうき
Hōki (former province located in the central and western parts of present-day Tottori Prefecture)
阿耆尼あぎに
Agni (Vedic god of fire)
黄耆おうぎ
Astragalus root; Hedysarum root
黄花黄耆きばなおうぎ
membranous milk-vetch (Astragalus membranaceus)

Explore all words using 耆 →

Study

Etymology

耆 combines 老 (old) with 日, which likely acts as a phonetic component. The character expresses the idea of old age and its associated mental decline.

Meaning mnemonic

The top part 老 means old, and the bottom 日 looks like a sun setting. Picture an old person's mind fading like the sun going down, representing senility.

Reading mnemonic

For キ, imagine a key unlocking memories that are fading due to senility: key -> キ, and the old person struggles to remember.