臆 means “timid, conjecture”

おく · oku

Also: timidity, heart, mind, fear

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

むね, おくする

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

オク, ヨク

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 17 strokes

The story

The body (月) beside 意, the mind: picture thoughts sinking down into a nervous chest. 臆病 is cowardly, 臆する is to lose your nerve, as in 臆することなく, without flinching, and 臆測 is guessing at what is in someone's head.

Used in 臆病 (okubyou, cowardly), 臆測 (okusoku, speculation), and 臆する (okusuru, to lose one's nerve)

More from Fear & Shame

• 虞 risk
• 羞 shame
• 焦 fret
• 脅 threaten
• 辱 disgrace
• 慌 panic
• 惧 dread
• 嚇 menace
• 凄 tremendous
• 畏 awe
• 慄 shudder

Learn 臆 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

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