字 Kanji Decipher

Meaning & readings

conspire, cheat, impose on, plan, devise, scheme, have in mind, deceive

On’yomi ボウ、ム
Kun’yomi はか.る、たばか.る、はかりごと

Origin

The character combines the speech radical 言 on the left, which signals this is about words and language, with 某 on the right, which serves as a sound hint for the pronunciation. The meaning of scheming or plotting emerges from the idea of planning through speech — using words to deceive or work out a deceptive plan. The compound as a whole captures the notion that schemes and conspiracies are things discussed and devised through talk.

謀 16 strokes

Components

  • 言 radical left
  • 某 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

  • 陰謀 いんぼう plot; intrigue
  • 共謀 きょうぼう conspiracy; collusion
  • 参謀 さんぼう staff officer; military staff
  • 首謀 しゅぼう plotting; planning (crime, intrigue)
  • 謀略 ぼうりゃく scheme; plot
  • 無謀 むぼう reckless; thoughtless

Related kanji

Same sound component 某
Same radical

Reference

Strokes
16
Kangxi radical
149
Formation type
Phono-semantic (meaning + sound hint)
Grade
Jōyō (secondary school)
Frequency rank
#1370 (newspapers)
Former JLPT
level 1
Unicode
U+08B00