Origin

The character 呪 combines mouth or speech (the 口 component on the left) with the idea of an older brother or senior figure (兄 on the right). In ancient contexts, spells and curses were spoken aloud—they required words from the mouth to take effect. The character likely suggests authoritative speech, the kind that carries weight or power, which is fitting for incantations meant to influence fate or invoke supernatural forces. Over time, this pairing of "mouth" with a concept of power or precedence came to represent magical speech, curses, and charms in general.

AI-generated (claude-haiku-4-5), not yet reviewed. Formation type (automated guess): Compound ideographic (combined meanings).