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On'yomi
エン
EN
Kun'yomi
さる
saru

monkey

spiritual

Details

Strokes13
Frequency#1772
Radicaldog(4)

Stroke Order

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Strokes13

Component Breakdown

=

animal + 袁

Cultural Context

Etymology

Composed of beast and phonetic. Beast with long arms.

Symbolism

Monkey, wisdom, imitation. Famous for Japan's three wise monkeys.

Related Culture & Scenes

  • Monkey climbing a tree

Words & Expressions

Four-Character Compounds

意馬心猿

いばしんえん

it is hard to keep one's worldly desires and passions in check; it is hard to keep one's worldly desires and passions in check

心猿意馬

しんえんいば

(being unable to control) one's worldly desires and passions; (being unable to control) one's worldly desires and passions

籠鳥檻猿

ろうちょうかんえん

denied freedom (of how to live one's life); living like a caged bird; denied freedom (of how to live one's life)

猿猴捉月

えんこうそくげつ

trying to reach above one's station and failing; trying to accomplish something beyond one's abilities and failing; monkey catching (a reflection of) the moon (in the water); trying to reach above one's station and failing

Proverbs & Idioms

猿も木から落ちる

さるもきからおちる

Even monkeys fall from trees

Even experts make mistakes