謅
play with words, quip, talk nonsense
Strokes17
Readings
On'yomi
- ソウ
- ショウ
- シュウ
- シュ
Kun'yomi
- もてあそ.ぶ
Meaning
謅 centers on frivolous or nonsensical speech: playing with words, making quips, or talking nonsense.
Study
Etymology
謅 combines 言 (speech) with 芻, which likely contributes the sound and may relate to cutting grass, but the exact historical development of the meaning 'play with words' is uncertain.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side 言 is speech, and the right side 芻 looks like a bundle of grass being cut. Picture someone cutting words like grass, making playful quips and nonsense talk.
Reading mnemonic
For ソウ, imagine a person sowing nonsense words like seeds: sow -> ソウ, and their speech is just playful quips.