ice

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 氷 has 5 strokes and denotes ice.
• Basic usage: 氷 is read こおり, and かき氷 is read かきごおり.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• The long vowel
  • こおり spells the middle vowel with お.
  • In かき氷, the initial consonant of こおり changes, giving ごおり.
• Ice and shaved ice
  • 池に張った薄い氷 means the thin ice that formed on a pond.
  • いちご味のかき氷 means strawberry-flavored shaved ice. かき氷 is a food made by shaving ice.