馗
road
Readings
On'yomi
- キ
Kun'yomi
—
Meaning
馗 centers on a road or path, specifically a main thoroughfare or crossroads.
Most common words using 馗
- 鍾馗しょうき
Shōki the Plague-Queller; Zhong Kui; traditional Chinese deity said to prevent plagues and ward off evil and reputedly able to command 80,000 demons
- 鍾馗さんしょうきさん
small statue of Shōki the Plague-Queller (placed on the overhang of traditional houses in parts of Kyoto and Nara)
- 鍾馗水仙しょうきずいせん
Lycoris traubii (species of spider lily)
- 鍾馗蘭しょうきらん
Yoania japonica (species of orchid)
Study
Etymology
馗 combines 九 (nine) and 首 (head/neck), but the historical reason for this combination in expressing 'road' is uncertain. It may have originally referred to a junction or crossroads, but the exact development is unclear.
Meaning mnemonic
Picture nine (九) heads (首) meeting at a crossroads, each looking down a different road. The junction where they gather is the main road.
Reading mnemonic
For キ, imagine a key (キ) road that unlocks the way to many destinations. The key road is the main thoroughfare.