匹 means “animal counter, match”

ひき · hiki

Also: equal, head, counter for small animals, roll of cloth

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading): ひき
On'yomi (Chinese reading): ヒツ

JLPT N2 · Taught in secondary school · 4 strokes

The story

Picture little legs (儿) poking out of a box (匸): a kitten that has climbed into a cardboard box. 匹 counts small animals, and its sound shifts as you count: いっぴき, にひき, さんびき, as in 三匹の子ぶた, the Three Little Pigs.

Used in 一匹 (ippiki, one animal), 三匹 (sanbiki, three animals), and 匹敵 (hitteki, being a match for)

匹 means “animal counter, match”

The story

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