肖
Mnemonic
A burning candle lights a dark room. You glance out the window and notice the moon bears an eerie resemblance to the flame — small, bright, flickering. Your child gasps: 'The moon is the candle's baby!' Indeed, the moon looks just like its parent.
Additional thoughts
The burning candle (top radical) sits above the moon (bottom radical) like a parent over a child. The moon mirrors the candle's glow perfectly — a child who is the spitting image of their parent. Resemblance = faithful likeness passed down.Quick recall
The moon is the burning candle's baby — a perfect resemblance.Details
The keyword for 肖 is resemblance. This kanji conveys the idea of looking like or bearing a likeness to something or someone, particularly in the sense of a child resembling a parent. It carries the nuance of a faithful copy or likeness, suggesting that one thing closely mirrors the appearance or qualities of another. In classical usage, it can also imply being worthy or fitting, as someone who lives up to the image of their predecessor.
- On'yomi
- しょう
- Kun'yomi
- あやか.る