Mnemonic
A king writes a letter to a rival king, but spills wine across the page, leaving ugly spots everywhere. The mottled, blotchy mess makes the letter completely unreadable — both kings are furious at the ruined message.
Additional thoughts
Picture the kanji structure: King on the left, Letter in the center, King on the right — two kings flanking a stained letter. The symmetry of the two kings mirrors the kanji's balanced layout. Wine spots on parchment give a vivid image of mottled discoloration.Quick recall
A king spills wine on a letter to a rival king, leaving spots everywhere.Details
The keyword for 斑 is spot. This kanji refers to a patch, blotch, or mottled marking, typically describing an irregular pattern of color or discoloration on a surface. It conveys the idea of unevenness or variegation, such as the dappled markings found on animal fur or skin, or patches of discoloration that appear with age. It can also be used more broadly to describe anything that is patchy, uneven, or inconsistent in its distribution.
- On'yomi
- はん
- Kun'yomi
- ふ、まだら