侶 means “companion”

りょ · ryo

Also: follower

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

とも

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

リョ, ロ

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 9 strokes

The story

A person (亻) beside 呂, which the Shuowen draws as a backbone, vertebra on vertebra: picture two people standing back to back for the long road. A 伴侶 is a life partner, and 僧侶 are Buddhist monks, companions in the faith.

Used in 伴侶 (hanryo, life partner/spouse) and 僧侶 (souryo, Buddhist monk)

More from Who's Who

• 我 I
• 己 self
• 僕 I (male)
• 輩 fellows
• 紳 gentleman
• 奴 guy
• 誰 who
• 俺 I (male, casual)
• 嬢 young lady
• 翁 venerable old man
• 某 a certain
• 婆 old woman

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Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.