Mnemonic
A single drop of water falls from the sky on the coldest night of the year. The moment it touches the ground, it freezes instantly into a perfect bead of ice. That lone drop of water, suspended in time, crystallized forever.
Additional thoughts
Visually, the drop radical sits just above and to the left of the water radical, like one frozen droplet hovering over a body of water about to freeze solid. Think of that first drop as the catalyst that turns all the water into ice.Quick recall
A drop of water freezes into ice.Details
The keyword for 氷 is ice. This kanji refers to water in its frozen, solid state. It represents ice in all its forms, from ice cubes to frozen rivers and glaciers. The character evokes the cold, hard, and crystalline nature of frozen water.
- On'yomi
- ひょう
- Kun'yomi
- こおり、ひ、こお.る