JLPT Level: Unlisted, but the kanji is N1This has an etymology different from what I had expected. L

JLPT Level: Unlisted, but the kanji is N1

This has an etymology different from what I had expected. Let’s look at the parts!

⼖ to conceal, hide

若 soft mulberry leaves

Now, anyone who has been studying their kanji is probably looking at that definition of 若 and going, “Omoi-no-hoka, you’ve lost the plot” because 若 means young. 

And see, I knew that it meant “young” too, so I thought maybe this was a reference to something like “protect the women andchildren.”

But nope! This, my friends, is all in reference to silkworms.

Silk was an incredibly important textile in Japan. The silkworms live in mulberry trees, eating the young, soft leaves. 匿 represents the mulberry leaves that fill up the silkworms’ bellies and stay hidden there. 

Kinda weird, but there ya go!