Meaning & readings

spot, blemish, speck, patches

On’yomi ハン
Kun’yomi ふ、まだら
Nanori

Origin

This character most likely combines the idea of an axe or tool (the left side) with a pattern or marking. The right component suggests variation or distinction in appearance. Together, the character depicts something marked or spotted — much like how an object struck repeatedly by a tool or blade would show irregular patches of damage or discoloration. The resulting shape came to represent the visual concept of spots, speckles, or mottled patterns on a surface.

AI-generated (claude-haiku-4-5), not yet reviewed. Formation type (automated guess): Pictographic or simple.

12 strokes

Components

This character is treated as a single, undivided shape (斑).

  • meaning part

Reference

Strokes
12
Kangxi radical
67
Grade
Jōyō (secondary school)
Frequency rank
#2165 (newspapers)
Former JLPT
Unicode
U+06591