蛩
cricket
Strokes12
Readings
On'yomi
- キョウ
Kun'yomi
- こおろぎ
Meaning
蛩 refers specifically to a cricket, the insect known for its chirping sound.
Most common words using 蛩
- 寒蛩かんきょう
chirping of crickets in late autumn
Study
Etymology
蛩 combines 虫 (insect) with 巩, which likely contributes a phonetic element. The exact historical development is uncertain, but the structure points to a phono-semantic compound for a type of insect.
Meaning mnemonic
The bottom 虫 is the insect radical, and the top 巩 looks like a sturdy frame. Picture a cricket sitting inside a small cage-like frame, chirping away.
Reading mnemonic
For キョウ, imagine the cricket's chirp sounding like 'kyou, kyou' in the quiet night: kyou -> キョウ.