The kanji 凝 primarily conveys the idea of "to congeal," "to solidify," "to concentrate," or "to focus." It describes a process where something changes from a fluid or dispersed state to a more solid, dense, or unified one. It can also imply a focused or intense state of mind or action.

・On-yomi (音読み): ギョウ (gyou) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): こ(る) (koru)

⚫︎凝固 (ぎょうこ) Translation: Coagulation, solidification ⚫︎凝視 (ぎょうし) Translation: To stare intently, to gaze fixedly ⚫︎集中して問題を凝視する (しゅうちゅうして もんだいを ぎょうしする) Translation: To concentrate and intently examine the problem.

The kanji 凝 is a phono-semantic compound (形声文字; keisei moji). It combines the semantic component 冫(にすい; ni-sui), representing "ice" or "cold," with the phonetic component 疑 (ぎ; gi), which contributes the sound and also implies doubt or hesitation. The original meaning likely related to ice or something freezing and becoming solid. Over time, the meaning expanded to encompass the broader concepts of congealing, concentrating, and focusing.