掌 Palm

Radical Combination

• 龸

  Viking
• 口

  Mouth
• 手

  Hand

Meaning

Primary

Palm

Mnemonic

If you want to cover a Viking's mouth with your hand, you have to use your palm. Why the palm? Well, if you do it knuckles-to-mouth, you're sort of just punching the Viking… and you don't want a punch a Viking. That's why you use the palm.

Hints

And don't use your fingers either, 'cause they'll just get bitten off. You absolutely want to make sure it's the palm — a nice flat open palm. It's a lot like feeding a horse, I guess.

Readings

On’yomi

しょう

Kun’yomi

てのひら

Nanori

None

Mnemonic

This Viking-touching technique of using the palm was developed by the Shougun (しょう). The Shogun has to deal with a lot of loudmouthed Vikings, so he's learned to use his palm to cover their mouths.

Hints

Imagine if a Shogun and a Viking had actually met in history (never mind that the dates don't overlap). You can definitely picture the quiet, refined Shogun putting his palm over the mouth of some noisy Viking during a tough diplomatic meeting.