薊
thistle
Readings
On'yomi
- ケイ
- キ
- カイ
- ケ
Kun'yomi
- あざみ
- さく
- とげ
Meaning
薊 centers on the thistle plant, a prickly flowering herb. The meaning is specific and does not extend to broader abstract ideas.
Most common words using 薊
- 薊あざみ
thistle (Cirsium spp.)
- マリア薊マリアあざみ
milk thistle (Silybum marianum)
- 吾妻山薊あずまやまあざみ
Azumayama thistle; Cirsiummicrospicatum
- 姫薊ひめあざみ
himeazami (Cirsium buergeri)
- 富士薊ふじあざみ
Fuji thistle; Cirsium purpuratum
- 朝鮮薊ちょうせんあざみ
globe artichoke (Cynara scolymus)
- 森薊もりあざみ
Cirsium dipsacolepis (perennial plant of the thistle family)
- 牛蒡薊ごぼうあざみ
Cirsium dipsacolepis (perennial plant of the thistle family)
- 狐薊きつねあざみ
Hemisteptia lyrata
- 薊芥子あざみげし
Mexican prickly poppy (Argemone mexicana)
- 薊馬あざみうま
thrips (any insect of order Thysanoptera); thrip
- 野薊のあざみ
Japanese thistle (Cirsium japonicum)
- 鳥海薊ちょうかいあざみ
Cirsium chokaiense (species of thistle)
Study
Etymology
薊 combines the grass radical 艹 with a phonetic component 魝. The character was created to name the thistle plant, with the phonetic part likely contributing the sound.
Meaning mnemonic
The grass radical 艹 sits above a fish-like shape 魝 with a knife 刂. Imagine a thistle growing among grass, its sharp spines like tiny knives that can prick like a fish bone.
Reading mnemonic
For ケイ, picture a thistle shaped like the letter K: K -> ケイ, and the K stands for the sharp, spiky plant.