字 Kanji Decipher

Meaning & readings

strangle, constrict, wring

On’yomi コウ
Kun’yomi しぼ.る、し.める、し.まる

Origin

This character combines a thread or fiber radical (糸, the vertical strokes on the left) with a sound component (交) that hints at how to pronounce it. The thread radical makes sense because wringing and strangling both involve twisting or compressing fibers or rope tightly around something. The 交 component sounds like the character's Chinese-derived pronunciation, but contributes no meaning itself — it simply acts as a pronunciation guide. Over time, the combination of "thread" plus this sound marker became the standard way to write the word for wringing, strangling, or constricting.

絞 12 strokes

Components

  • 糸 radical left
  • 交 sound hint right

A sound hint component points at the character’s pronunciation, not its meaning — don’t read a meaning into it.

Common words

  • 絞り しぼり shibori; tie-dye
  • 絞殺 こうさつ strangling (to death); strangulation
  • 絞る しぼる to wring (towel, rag); to squeeze
  • お絞り おしぼり wet towel (supplied at table); hot, moistened hand towel
  • 絞める しめる to strangle; to constrict
  • 絞首刑 こうしゅけい death by hanging; execution by hanging
  • 絞り込む しぼりこむ to squeeze; to wring out

Related kanji

Same sound component 交
Same radical

Reference

Strokes
12
Kangxi radical
120
Formation type
Phono-semantic (meaning + sound hint)
Grade
Jōyō (secondary school)
Frequency rank
#1288 (newspapers)
Former JLPT
level 1
Unicode
U+07D5E