餘
surplus, excess, remainder
Strokes16
Readings
On'yomi
- ヨ
Kun'yomi
- あま.る
- あま.り
- あま.す
Meaning
餘 centers on having more than needed: a surplus, an excess, or a remainder left over after the main portion is accounted for.
Study
Etymology
餘 combines 飠 (food) with 余, which likely contributes the sound and the idea of excess or surplus. The character originally referred to leftover food, then broadened to any surplus.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side 飠 is food, and the right side 余 suggests extra. Picture a feast with so much food that there are leftovers piled high: surplus and excess.
Reading mnemonic
For ヨ, imagine a yo-yo that keeps coming back up, leaving an excess of string: yo -> ヨ, and the extra string is the surplus.