Question

匹 ひき 匹(ひき): (1) counter for small animals (2) counter for rolls of cloth (two han in size) (3) counter for horses (4) roll of cloth匹敵(ひってき): comparing with; match; rival; equal S 匚: box-on-side enclosure radical (no. 22)儿: legs radical (no. 10) 匸 2 (none) equal Imagine a magician doing that trick where he puts his assistant in a box and proceeds to saw her in half. Don’t the human legs sticking horizontally out of the box remind you of an equal sign?

Accepted Answer

ヒツ equal, head, counter for small animals, roll of cloth 2 1384 4 23 かくしがまえ 象形 Pictographic This kanji is used commonly as a counter for small animals. This is a pictograph of a SMALL ANIMAL´S view from inside a CARDBOARD BOX looking out at his masters HUMAN LEGS. He´s probably hiding so the master does not COUNT him with the other animals which will probably be eaten (thus he avoids everyones EQUAL fate on the farm: the kitchen table).

Kanji	匹
Onyomi	ヒツ
Kunyomi	ひき
English	equal, head, counter for small animals, roll of cloth
Examples	匹(ひき): (1) counter for small animals (2) counter for rolls of cloth (two han in size) (3) counter for horses (4) roll of cloth 匹敵(ひってき): comparing with; match; rival; equal
JLPT Level	2
Jouyou Grade	S
Frequency	1384
Components	匚: box-on-side enclosure radical (no. 22) 儿: legs radical (no. 10)
Number of Strokes	4
Kanji Radical	匸
Radical Number	23
Radical Strokes	2
Radical Reading	かくしがまえ
Traditional Form	(none)
Classification	象形 Pictographic
Keyword	equal
Koohii Story 1	This kanji is used commonly as a counter for small animals. This is a pictograph of a SMALL ANIMAL´S view from inside a CARDBOARD BOX looking out at his masters HUMAN LEGS. He´s probably hiding so the master does not COUNT him with the other animals which will probably be eaten (thus he avoids everyones EQUAL fate on the farm: the kitchen table).
Koohii Story 2	Imagine a magician doing that trick where he puts his assistant in a box and proceeds to saw her in half. Don’t the human legs sticking horizontally out of the box remind you of an equal sign?

Counter Small Equal Cloth Box Roll Animals Radical