淑 means “graceful, refined”

しゅく · shuku

Also: gentle, pure

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading): しとやか
On'yomi (Chinese reading): シュク

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 11 strokes

The story

Water (氵) beside 叔: the Shuowen says 淑 once meant water clear and deep, and that calm passed to people. A 淑女 is a lady, 淑やか is graceful, now usually written しとやか, and to 私淑 a writer is to learn from them through their books alone.

Used in 淑女 (shukujo, lady), 淑やか (shitoyaka, graceful), and 私淑 (shishuku, taking someone as a mentor from afar)

淑 means “graceful, refined”

The story

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