閻
town
Readings
On'yomi
- エン
Kun'yomi
—
Meaning
閻 centers on a settlement or town, often used in proper names and historical contexts. Its meaning is narrow and primarily refers to a walled or gated community.
Most common words using 閻
- 閻魔えんま
Yama (King of Hell who judges the dead); Enma
- 閻魔えんま
Yama (King of Hell who judges the dead); Enma
- 借りる時の地蔵顔、済す時の閻魔顔かりるときのじぞうがお、なすときのえんまがお
people look friendly when they ask for a loan but not so much when they repay it; when borrowing (the money), the face of the (bodhisattva) Kshitigarbha; when returning it, the face of the (hell king) Yama
- 閻浮提えんぶだい
Jambudvipa; continent of the terrestrial world
- 閻王えんおう
Yama, judge of the afterlife
- 閻羅王えんらおう
Yama (king of the world of the dead, who judges the dead); Emma; Yan; Yomna
- 閻魔の庁えんまのちょう
judgment seat of Yama (judgement)
- 閻魔堂えんまどう
temple hall dedicated to Yama
- 閻魔大王えんまだいおう
Yama; judge of the afterlife
- 閻魔天えんまてん
Yama (as protector deity of the south in esoteric Buddhism)
- 閻魔帳えんまちょう
teacher's grade book
- 閻魔王えんまおう
Yamaraja (king of the world of the dead, who judges the dead)
- 閻魔羅闍えんまらじゃ
Yama (king of the world of the dead, who judges the dead); Emma; Yan; Yomna
- 閻魔虫えんまむし
hister beetle (Hister jekeli); clown beetle
- 閻魔蟋蟀えんまこおろぎ
oriental garden cricket (Teleogryllus emma); emma field cricket
- 閻魔顔えんまがお
devilish face; diabolical face
Study
Etymology
閻 combines 門 (gate) with 臽, which likely contributes the sound and may relate to a pit or trap, but the exact historical development is uncertain. The character is used for place names and may have originally referred to a gated settlement.
Meaning mnemonic
Picture a town gate 門 with a distinctive inner layout 臽 that looks like a small enclosed neighborhood. The gate marks the entrance to the town.
Reading mnemonic
For エン, imagine the town gate opening to a yen shop: yen -> エン, and the town's economy revolves around it.