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背
On'yomi
ハイ
HAI
Kun'yomi
せ・せい・そむ.く・そむ.ける
se / sei / somuku / somukeru
stature · height · back · behind · disobey · defy · go back on · rebel
Details
Strokes9
Frequency#696
Radical肉meat(6)
Stroke Order
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Strokes9
Component Breakdown
背=
北月
北 + moon
Cultural Context
Etymology
Composed of north and flesh. Flesh of north.
Symbolism
Back, background, behind. Represents back.
Words & Expressions
Four-Character Compounds
中肉中背
ちゅうにくちゅうぜい
medium build; medium build
二律背反
にりつはいはん
antinomy; self-contradiction; either-or situation; antinomy
面従腹背
めんじゅうふくはい
pretending to obey but secretly betraying (someone); pretending to obey but secretly betraying (someone)
面向不背
めんこうふはい
flawless; flawless
眼光紙背
がんこうしはい
reading between the lines; reading between the lines
Proverbs & Idioms
背に腹は代えられぬ
せにはらはかえられぬ
You can't swap the back for the belly
Sometimes you have no choice