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Kotomora

跛

lame, lameness, odd shoe

Strokes12

Readings

On'yomi

  • ハ
  • ヒ

Kun'yomi

  • びっこ
  • ちんば

Meaning

跛 centers on impaired walking: being lame or having a limp. The 'odd shoe' meaning is a concrete image of that uneven gait, like wearing mismatched shoes.

Most common words using 跛

  • 跛びっこ

    lameness; cripple

  • 片跛かたちんば

    lame; lameness

  • 跛者はしゃ

    cripple

  • 跛行はこう

    imbalance; proceeding irregularly; unsteady progress

  • 跛行婚はこうこん

    international marriage which is recognized in only one party's country (e.g. same-sex marriage, polygamy, underage marriage)

  • 跛行景気はこうけいき

    spotty economic boom

Explore all words using 跛 →

Study

Etymology

跛 combines 足 (foot) with 皮, which likely contributes the sound and may relate to the idea of a surface or covering that is uneven, suggesting an impaired foot or gait.

Meaning mnemonic

The left side is 足 (foot), and the right side is 皮 (skin/leather). Imagine a foot with a patch of leather tied around it like an odd shoe, making the person walk with a limp.

Reading mnemonic

For ハ, picture a person with a limp laughing 'Ha!' at their own mismatched shoes: Ha -> ハ, and the odd shoe makes the gait uneven.