CHARACTER HOME PAGE

to strangle; wring
Kanji 1261

Thank you for visiting this Character Home Page. Below you'll find a synopsis of the essay. If you wish to read the full text, the PDF of the essay is available for purchase to the right.

Synopsis

The 絞 kanji affords access to practical devices, such as juice squeezers and garlic presses. This kanji also introduces us to Japanese tie-dyeing. But 絞 really comes to life with its figurative uses, enabling us to put the screws on someone, squeeze money out of people, zero in on something, weed out applicants, and rack our brains. See what it means to strangle slowly with a silk cord.

Revision History:

Nov. 22, 2022: p. 1: Updated the definition of 郊 to “outskirts.”

Feb. 10, 2022: p. 20: Added a link to a dictionary.

Feb. 9, 2022: 

  • p. 2, Etymology Box: Updated the Henshall etymology and updated the Sears link.
  • p. 20: Added a link to the Kanshudo games.

Nov. 7, 2017: Changed the footer, in which "September" had a typo! How did that slip through?!

Sept. 10, 2016: Originally published.

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Kanji PDF
Cover of essay 1261 on 絞, titled "Twist and Squeeze"
Mini Profile
JOYO ON-YOMI
コウ
JOYO KUN-YOMI
しぼ-る, し-める, し-まる
STROKES12
RADICAL糸 (120: thread)
JLPTN1
HALPERN913/1236
HENSHALL1261/1338
SPAHN6a6.9