幣
KanjiJLPT N1
Currency
cash, bad habit, humble prefix, gift, Shinto offerings of cloth, rope, cut paper
Mnemonic
A night owl swoops into the midnight bazaar clutching a silk towel — the only currency accepted after dark. Merchants bow as the owl unfurls the shimmering cloth. Each towel is worth a fortune; the night owl hoards stacks of them like coins in a vault.
Additional thoughts
Silk cloth was literally used as currency in ancient East Asia. Picture the owl treating fine towels as banknotes, fanning them out under moonlight. Owl + towel = ancient money.Quick recall
A night owl trades silk towels as currency in the moonlit market.Details
The keyword for 幣 is currency. This kanji refers to money, coins, or monetary instruments used in exchange and trade. It also carries a classical connotation of offerings or gifts presented to gods or superiors, as valuable cloth or silk was historically used as a form of currency and ritual tribute in ancient East Asian societies. In modern usage, it appears in compounds related to monetary systems and coinage.
- On'yomi
- へい
- Kun'yomi
- ぬさ