陜
narrow
Strokes10
Readings
On'yomi
- キョウ
- コウ
Kun'yomi
- せま.い
Meaning
陜 centers on a tight, confined space: something narrow or cramped. The meaning is straightforward and physical.
Study
Etymology
陜 combines ⻖ (hill, mound) with 夾, which likely contributes the sound and the idea of being pressed between two sides, suggesting a narrow mountain pass or confined space.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side ⻖ is a hill, and the right side 夾 looks like a person squeezed between two sides. Picture a narrow mountain path where the hills press in on both sides.
Reading mnemonic
For キョウ, imagine a narrow alley in Kyoto (キョウト) where the walls are so close you have to squeeze through: Kyoto -> キョウ, and the alley is narrow.