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Kotomora

錶

watch, clock

Strokes16

Readings

On'yomi

  • ヒョウ

Kun'yomi

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Meaning

錶 centers on a timekeeping device worn or displayed: a watch or clock. The two meanings are direct applications of the same core idea of a timepiece.

Study

Etymology

錶 is a phono-semantic compound: 金 (metal) suggests the material of a watch or clock, while 表 likely contributes the sound ヒョウ.

Meaning mnemonic

Metal 金 on the left and 表 (surface, display) on the right: a metal device that displays the time, a watch or clock.

Reading mnemonic

For ヒョウ, imagine a watch that lets out a loud hyō (ヒョウ) sound like a panther's call when the alarm goes off. The hyō sound cues ヒョウ while the metal watch displays the time.