艾
moxa, sagebrush, wormwood, mugwort
Strokes5
Readings
On'yomi
- カイ
- ゲイ
Kun'yomi
- もぐさ
- よもぎ
- おさ.める
- か.る
Meaning
艾 centers on aromatic plants used for medicine and burning: mugwort, sagebrush, wormwood, and the moxa made from them.
Most common words using 艾
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Etymology
艾 combines 艹 (grass/plant) with 乂, which likely contributed the sound and may suggest cutting or harvesting the plant. The exact historical development of 乂 is uncertain.
Meaning mnemonic
The grass top 艹 sits above a crossed shape 乂, like bundles of dried mugwort tied together for moxibustion.
Reading mnemonic
For カイ, imagine a kite (カイト) made of dried mugwort leaves flying above the crossed bundles: kite -> カイ.