膀
bladder
Readings
On'yomi
- ボウ
- ホウ
Kun'yomi
—
Meaning
膀 centers on the bladder, the organ that stores urine before it is expelled.
Most common words using 膀
- 膀胱ぼうこう
urinary bladder; urinary cyst; vesica urinaria; bladder
- 人工膀胱じんこうぼうこう
artificial bladder; artificial urinary bladder
- 急性膀胱炎きゅうせいぼうこうえん
acute cystitis
- 膀胱括約筋ぼうこうかつやくきん
sphincter muscle of urinary bladder
- 膀胱炎ぼうこうえん
cystitis; inflammation of the bladder
- 膀胱癌ぼうこうがん
bladder cancer
- 膀胱結石ぼうこうけっせき
bladder stone; vesical calculus; cystolith
- 膀胱造影ぼうこうぞうえい
cystography; cystogram
- 膀胱鏡ぼうこうきょう
cystoscope
Study
Etymology
膀 combines the flesh radical ⺼ (月) with 旁, which likely contributes the sound. The character specifically denotes the bladder as a body part.
Meaning mnemonic
The flesh radical ⺼ on the left indicates a body part, and the right side 旁 looks like a container with a lid. Picture the bladder as a fleshy container that holds liquid.
Reading mnemonic
For ボウ, imagine a bow-shaped bladder filling up: bow -> ボウ, and the bladder stretches like a bow.