Mnemonic
An illness spreads through a flock of sheep, covering their woolly bodies in red bumps. The sheep thrash against fences, desperate for relief. You catch it too—now your whole body feels unbearably itchy. That sheep wool rubbing your skin during the illness makes the itch a thousand times worse!
Additional thoughts
Picture yourself wrapped in rough sheep wool while sick with a rash—double the itch factor. Wool + sickness = itchy skin.Quick recall
An illness caught from sheep wool makes you wildly itchy.Details
The keyword for 痒 is itchy. This kanji refers to the sensation of itchiness or irritation on the skin that provokes a desire to scratch. It describes that familiar, maddening feeling when the skin tingles or prickles, demanding relief. The character is used in contexts relating to both literal physical itching and figuratively to describe a nagging, unsatisfied feeling.
- On'yomi
- よう
- Kun'yomi
- かゆ.がる、かさ、かゆ.い