The Radical: 氵


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Meaning
water    氵

Explanation The radical sanzui is a short form of water

Used in these Kanji:
JLPT 4Joyo 2
sea, ocean
umi, KAI
Left: water , right: every (Persons = have mothers , namely: everybody!) [mother = woman with swollen breasts : of pregnancy]
Water is in every sea.
JLPT 3Joyo 2
steam, vapor
KI
Left: water , right: steam
Water steam is just steam.
JLPT 4Joyo 2
lake, pond
ike, CHI
Left: water , right: a placeholder for change (image of a snake that molts [=shedding the skin])
Water in a changed form is a lake or pond.
JLPT 3Joyo 3
swim
oyogu, EI
Left: water , right: long time/lasting (The swimmer is in the water for: a long time)
In the water, a person can be for a long time (=above the water level ,) when swimming.
JLPT 3Joyo 3
warm
atatakai, ON
Left: water , right: sun and a bowl/dish
The water on a sunny plate gets warm.
JLPT 3Joyo 2
life, vigor, vitality, activty
KATSU
Left: water , right: a tongue
Water on the tongue gives life and vigor.
JLPT 3Joyo 3
decide, determine, set
kimaru, KETSU
Left: water , right: 夬 (a person with a backpack コ)
(On a hike you should have enough water with you:) There is water in the person's backpack: that's what he has decided.
JLPT 3Joyo 3
lake
mizuumi, KO
From left: Water , old (=tomb-stone), moon
Water and the old moon can be seen in the lake.
JLPT 3Joyo 3
harbor, port
minato,
Left: water , right: 巷 (together [=Put the plants on the table ] and oneself ( = Following the winding path I find myself.)
From the waters for reaching the "together" you yourself need to go to: the harbor.
JLPT 3Joyo 3
alcohol, sake
sake, saka-, SHU
Left: water , right: wine jar
The liquid in the wine jar is sake.
JLPT 3Joyo 3
extinguish, erase
kesu, kieru, SHŌ
Left: water , right: alike/resemble sb. (Small bodies / are alike.)
With water or sth. alike you can extinguish.
JLPT 3Joyo 3
deep
fukai, SHIN
Left: water , right: variation of hole , tree
The water hole at the tree is deep.
JLPT 4Joyo 3
notes, pour
sosogu, CHŪ
Left: water , right: master (I emphasize , the king is the master.)
Water for the master: note it and pour it in.
JLPT 3Joyo 3
hot water, bath
yu,
Left: water , right: sunrise (= sun above horizon ) together with sunrays ) as: warming sun (cf. )
Water with warming sunrays changes into: hot water.
JLPT 3Joyo 3
wave
nami, HA
Left: water , right: skin (A hand with a knife peels off the skin )
The water (of the sea) has a skin and this are the waves.
JLPT 3Joyo 3
oil
abura, YU
Left: water , right: reason (field with sprout )
Water is with reason no oil.
JLPT 4Joyo 3
ocean, western

Left: water , right: sheep (here: white rippled wave with a white crest like wool of a sheep)
The water ripples like sheep's (wool) in the ocean. [over which the Western came]
JLPT 3Joyo 3
fall, drop, fail, decline
ochiru, RAKU
Top: plant , bottom: water , and each, all (With crossed legs on a cushion sits everybody.)
Plants (their leaves) and water(drops) all fall down.
JLPT 3Joyo 3
stream, flow, drift
nagareru, RYŪ, RU
Left: water , right: newborn baby (child turned upside down, because at birth with head first), water/amniotic fluid
Water as well as a newborn child's amniotic fluid are flowing.
JLPT 4Joyo 3
Han-China
KAN
Left: water , right: plant , mouth , husband/man (= big person with extra-caring arms )
Water and plants in the mouth of the husband from China.
JLPT 3Joyo 4
fishing
GYO, RYŌ
Left: water , right: fish (image with head , body and frayed fin )
Having water with fish, you (immediately) think of fishing.
JLPT 3Joyo 4
clean, pure, platonic
kiyoi, SEI, SHŌ
Left: water , right: blue, young (Growing plants appear in the moonshine as blue and young.)
Water that is blue is also clean and pure.
JLPT 3Joyo 4
shallow, short, light
asai, SEN
Left: water , right: two , halberd (cf. decrease )
Water covering only two halberds is too shallow.
JLPT 3Joyo 4
govern, rule, manage, cure, heal
osameru, naosu, CHI, JI
Left: Water , right: platform (= nose over the mouth )
The water on the platform (i.e. high plateau) is managed by the government and can heal.
JLPT 3Joyo 4
law, rule, regulation
HŌ, HATSU
Left: water , right: go away/leave (Below the earth is the nose , that has left.)
The water shall be left! That's the law!
JLPT 3Joyo 4
fill, full
michiru, mitasu, MAN
Left: water , top: plant , below: both (image of a balance)
Water and plants: both make you (feel) filled.
JLPT 3Joyo 4
bathe
abiru, YOKU
Left: water , right: valley (Image of a valley that opens into a plain .)
The water flows into the valley, where you can have your bath.
JLPT 2Joyo 5
liquid, fluid, juice
EKI
Left: water , right: night (With a cover/beret is a person observing the moon in the night.)
Water is also at night a liquid.
JLPT 2Joyo 5
performance, act, play, stage
EN
Left: water , right: roof/house , one , field , eight
The water in the house at the one/single field is part of the eight perfomances.
JLPT 2Joyo 5
river
kawa, KA
Left: water , right: possible (The nail into this opening should be possible)
The water that gives possibilities (i.e. for transports) is the river.
JLPT 1Joyo 5
clean, clear, pure
isagiyoi, KETSU
Left: water , right: tally stick , (pairwise marked sticks were distributed at the conclusion and joined again after implementation of an agreement), sword , thread (here: a cloth)
With water, a tally stick, a sword and cloth it can be cleaned.
JLPT 2Joyo 5
decrease, decline, reduce, shrink, dwindle
heru, GEN
Left: water , right: (Chinese only:) salty [gǎn] (The taste is for the person (= & ) in the mouth like a halberd such: salty.)
(Salt is dissolved in water over time and then no longer visible:) In water, the salt will decrease and decline.
JLPT 2Joyo 5
mix, stir, confusion, include
majiru, KON
Left: water , right: insect (image originally carapace and legs ; from this by misreading: sun , compare )
(In the past there was no clean water?) Water and insects are mixed.
JLPT 2Joyo 5
Level, conform, semi-, quasi-
JUN
Top: water and bird , bottom: twig (cf. )
(to be closer to the water:) The waterbirds are sitting on a twig/branch on a semi-level.
JLPT 2Joyo 5
measure, fathom
hakaru, SOKU
Left: water , right: rule (Money [= the capital] and knifes [= violence] determine the rules.)
(fair share for irrigation) Water needs rules for measuring.
沿
JLPT 1Joyo 6
run alongside, run beside
sou, EN
Left: water , right: var. of valley (Shows a valley that opens into a plain .)
The water in the valley runs alongside.
JLPT 3Joyo 4
cry, weep, moan
naku, KYŪ
Left: water , right: to stand
Standing in the water and crying.
JLPT 1Joyo 6
source, origin, beginning
minamoto, GEN
Left: water , right: origin/plain (Under the cliff the white small spring has its origin in the plain)
The water in the plain comes from a source.
JLPT 2Joyo 6
finish, end, settle (i.e. a dispute)
sumu/masu, SAI, SEI
Left: water , right: equal (For writing a text you need a sheet with lines to make it equal/uniform.)
With water or the like you can bring things to an end. (just rinse it away)
JLPT 4Joyo 6
to wash, laundry
arau, SEN
Left: water , right: precede, previous (The cow uses the front legs to preceed.)
(In Japan you have to shower BEFORE you go into the ofuro [= hot bath], thus:) The water should be used 'before' for: washing.
JLPT 1Joyo 6
dye, color, stain, paint, soak
somaru/meru, shimiru, SEN
Top: water , nine , bottom: tree
You need water (= liquid) in 9 (colors, namely the 7 colors of the rainbow + black/white), obtained from trees, to dye with it.
JLPT 1Joyo 6
seawater, tide
shio, CHŌ
Left: water , right: morning - BETTER: lake , having the part: "old " both normal and upside-down to show changing directions of the tides.
The lake with changing directions stands for: seawater & tides.
JLPT 1Joyo 6
faction, group, sect, party
HA
Left: water , right: affluents (branches of water )
Branched like the water of affluents are the factions and sects.
JLPT 2Joyo 7
dirty, polluted, foul, dishonor
kegareru, yogoreru, kitanai, O
Left: water , right: var. of seaweed
Water with double seaweed is dirty.
JLPT 1Joyo 7
eddy, whirlpool
uzu, KA
Left: water , right: vertebrae (image of bones = skeleton), Here: visible swirls of water
The water has swirls and eddies: The eddy!
JLPT 1Joyo 7
limits, boundary, shore, horizon
hate, GAI
From left: water , right: precipice 厓 (cliff of piled/cumulated earth [= 2x earth ])
Water, a cliff, or piles of earth can (each) be a limit.
JLPT 1Joyo 7
lagoon, beach, inlet
kata, SEKI
Left: water , right: mortar , which looks like the inlet to a bay, wrap and four legs (cf. bird , horse
Behind the water is the bay, wherein protected (= wrapped) four legs (= animals) are: in the lagoon.
JLPT 1Joyo 7
thirst
kawaku, KATSU
Left: water , right: var. of easy (sun , rays, where the inner rays are subsituted by a sitting person )
Water is needed by the person sitting in the sunshine, because he is thirsty.
JLPT 1Joyo 7
slip, slide, glide, soft, smooth
suberu, nameraka, KATSU
Left: water , right: bone (bone [pictograph of a vertebra], cover and body/flesh )
(bursa in the joints) Water on the bones makes them smooth and slippery.
JLPT 2Joyo 7
sweat
ase, asebamu, KAN
Left: water , right: dry
Water dries like sweat.
JLPT 2Joyo 7
situation, condition, context
mashite, KYŌ
Left: water , right: elder brother [A big mouth on legs ]
In the water is my elder brother, that's the situation.
JLPT 1Joyo 7
mountain stream, gorge, ravine
KEI
Left: water , right top: hand reaching down , below: husband (= big person with extra-caring arms )
Into the raging water, a hand grabs the husband and saves him out of the mountain stream at the gorge.
JLPT 1Joyo 6
violent, intense, vehement, ardent
hageshii, GEKI
Left: water , middle top: white , below + right: let go/release (In his side he was striked to release.)
(During a storm at sea:) When the water is white (= has white foam crests) at all sides/directions and is striking , it becomes violent.
JLPT 1Joyo 7
river mouth, inlet, bay, Yangtse
e,
Left: water , right: craftsman
At the waters you can build best: at the river's mouth, as during Edo ( ).
JLPT 1Joyo 7
flood, vast, deluge

Left: water , right: together (Put the plants on the table together.)
All waters together make a flood.
JLPT 1Joyo 7
ditch, drain, gutter, channel
mizo, dobu,
Left: water , right: pile up/accumulate (two baskets on top of each other, the lower one upside down)
If you want to pile up (= collect) water, you need a ditch.
JLPT 1Joyo 7
gradually, little by little
yōyaku, ZEN
Left: water , right kill by slicing ([An accident] with a car or an axe can kill by slicing.)
(due to rust:) Water (damages) vehicles and axes: Gradually and little by little.
JLPT 1Joyo 7
nourishing, nutritious, strengthen, nutrient-rich
JI
Left: water , right: 2x mysterious (part of magnet: , where a upper bracket holds hanging stones that behave mysteriously.)
Water is doubly mysterious, if it is nourishing and nutritious.
湿
JLPT 2Joyo 7
damp, moist, humid, wet
shimeru/su, SHITSU
Left: water , right: sun , hollow (= extinct volcanic vent)
The water makes the sunny hole damp and humid.
JLPT 1Joyo 7
(Japan-)lacquer, varnish
urushi, SHITSU
Left: water , right: tree , person , drip (variation of water with 5 strokes)
From the water/sap of this tree the person makes five drops of: lacquer.
JLPT 1Joyo 7
juice, soup
shiru,
Left: water right: ten (Here as simplification of , which is the right portion of green: and = squeezing hand ヨ makes liquid to drop.)
The 'water' dropping down, when squeezing by hand is a juice (or soup).
JLPT 1Joyo 7
bitter, astringent (=bitter taste), hesitate
shibui/ru,
Left: water , right: stop and ripple, drops of water
Even the water stops and ripples as it is too bitter.
JLPT 1Joyo 7
graceful, pure, modest
SHUKU
Left: water , right: uncle (He harvests pepper plants by hand .)
The water and the younger uncle are pure and graceful.
JLPT 1Joyo 7
wet, profit, enrich, moisten
uruou/su, JUN
Left: water , right: gate & king
(A drinking water pipe to his palace?) If the water is at the gate, the king can get wet, and thereby: profit.
JLPT 1Joyo 7
swamp, marsh, pond, bog
numa, SHŌ
Left: water , right: call s.o./summon (.. with sword and mouth )
The water (for cleaning) the sword and mouth comes from the swamp.
JLPT 1Joyo 7
ford (=shallow part of a river), transit
SHŌ
Left: water , right: walk (You should stop a little when: walking.)
You walk through the water: at the ford.
JLPT 1Joyo 7
pure, clean

Left: water , right: conflict/fight (bent person with stick in hand ナ/ヨ looks for a dispute.)
If 'water' is what you are fighting for, then only for the clean and pure.
JLPT 1Joyo 7
harbor, port
tsu, SHIN
Left: water , right: var. of write (A hand ナ/ヨ with a pen writes two lines )
(Because of documentation of ship traffic by the harbor master:) It is at the water and there is written: the harbor.
JLPT 1Joyo 7
soak, immerse, dip, dunk
hitasu/ru, SHIN
Left: water , right: "only one glove" (hand ヨ, only one cover , further hand )
In the water with only one glove, you get wet.
JLPT 1Joyo 7
rapids, current, torrent, shallows
se,
Left: water , right: rely, request (bundle [= things , are strapped with a ribbon to a bundle ], head/forehead )
The water, in which bundles float like heads, are the rapids!
JLPT 1Joyo 7
submerge, dive, hide, lurk, conceal, lower(voice)
hisomu, moguru, SEN
Left: water , right: exchange, substitute (The two husbands are during sunshine [=good times] exchangeable.)
[If you can't see] in the water the two husbands despite the sun, they are submerged or hiding.
JLPT 1Joyo 7
impure, muddy/cloudy liquid, uncleanness
nigoru/su, DAKU
Left: water , right: eye , wrap , insect
If in the water the visibility is poor, such that insects appear as wrapped up it is impure/muddy. (But it clears up, because the (clean) water rises )
JLPT 1Joyo 7
flood, overflow, inundate
RAN
Left: water , right: supervise, observe (The retainer and a lying person are mirrored in a plate they supervise / observe.)
The water has to be supervised to avoid floodings.
JLPT 1Joyo 7
waterweed, seaweed
mo,
Top: plant , below: to wash 澡 (water and bird's chirping [also: to gather] assemble (3 beaks of birds in a tree )
A plant in the water that is accumulating is: the seaweed.
JLPT 1Joyo 7
stay, sojourn, stagnate, stop, be delayed, slack
todokōru, TAI
Left: water , right: belt (A belt with mountain-like applications covering the cloth is a belt.)
(Build a dike at the river banks:) The water within the 'belt' is staying / sojourning.
JLPT 1Joyo 7
waterfall, cascade, rapids
taki,
Left: water , right: dragon (It stands in the field with a huge tail : a dragon.)
The "waterdragon" is the waterfall.
JLPT 1Joyo 7
marsh, swamp, brilliance, grace
sawa, TAKU
Left: water , right: measure of length (from the body one foot forward = 1 Shaku = 30.3 cm)
(Because you would sink in too easily if you took long steps:) In this "water", you carefully place step by step: in the marsh or swampy terrain.
JLPT 2Joyo 7
wash, rinse
TAKU
Left: water , right: (Chinese only: to wash) (wings , bird )
With water it (becomes as clean) as the wings of a bird, when we are: washing.
JLPT 1Joyo 7
pale, faint, light colors
awai, TAN
Left: water , right: flames (2x fire )
Water makes flames: pale & faint.
JLPT 1Joyo 7
open sea, offshore
oki, CHŪ
Left: water , right: middle
Where the water has its middle, is the open sea.
JLPT 1Joyo 7
clear, ludicity, settle, clarify
sumu/masu, CHŌ
Left: water , right: to climb (The volcano spits bean , let's climb up)
(In dirty water, the dirt settles down & a clean fraction rises up:) When water is climbing, it becomes clear. (Beforehand, in the water the view of insects was only indistinct, as if wrapped up , due to the impurity )
JLPT 2Joyo 7
sink, go down, fall
shizumu/meru, CHIN
Left: water , right: 冘 (big person with broken arms and a broken leg )
In the water is sb. with broken arms and leg: Now he is sinking.
JLPT 1Joyo 7
to pickle (food), soak
tsukaru/keru, SHI
Left: water , right: liability/blame (for growing plants and money )
Water is necessary (= has a liability), when the pickles get soaked.
JLPT 2Joyo 7
mud, dirt, mire, adhere to
doro, nazumu, DEI
Left: water , right: nun (On her buttocks is sitting the nun.)
The water, in which the nun is sitting, is muddy.
JLPT 2Joyo 7
drop, drip
shizuku, shitataru, TEKI
Left: water , right: old emperor (mix of emperor and old )
(Due to problems with the prostate gland?) Passing 'water', can be done by old emperor only drop by drop.
JLPT 1Joyo 7
add, append, attach, annexed, accompany, garnish
sou/eru, TEN
Top: fertility (.. by the water from the sky ), bottom right: heart
(New babies are born?) With fertility in the heart we will add some.
JLPT 2Joyo 7
cross, hand over, go across
wataru/su, TO
广 廿
Left: water , right: degree/extent (In this building 广 is an object 廿, I take in my hand to measure the degrees various times.)
Water of this degree (temperature or depth) can be crossed.
JLPT 2Joyo 7
painting, plaster, coat
nuru, TO
Top: 涂 (water , in excess, remain (A heap is still on an altar [= to show], thus in excess.), bottom: earth/ground
The water remains on the ground look like a painting.
JLPT 1Joyo 7
cave, penetrate
hora,
Left: water , right: same .(Here: see as view into a mining tunnel ロ with beams supporting its walls and ceiling.)
A wet mining tunnel is a cave.
JLPT 2Joyo 7
concentrated, rich (flavor, color, smell,), thick, dense
koi,
Left: water , right: agriculture (fructuous fields [=field with sprouts ||] and: to plow (At the field corner a first line is plowed by the farmer 农 [农=Chinese for farmer])
Water in agriculture makes everything grow more concentrated and thicker.
JLPT 1Joyo 7
old woman
baba, BA
Top: wave (= the water's skin ) [skin = A hand with a knife peels off the skin ], bottom: woman
With waves (= with wrinkled skin) is this woman: an old woman.
JLPT 2Joyo 7
overnight stay, lodge
tomaru/meru, HAKU
Left: water , right: white (The shine of the sun makes it white)
Where they have water and white (bed sheets), we are going to stay.
JLPT 1Joyo 7
desert, vague, vast, wide
BAKU
Left: water , right: sink, go down (The sun is sinking among plants ,) [Watch-out: sunrise is: or ]
Where the water has 'sunk', it is now a desert.
JLPT 1Joyo 7
secrete, lactation =milk-production, urin, seep out
HITSU, HI
Left: water (here: liquid), right: certainly (... is the heart pierced by a lance )
Liquid will certainly from the pierced heart: secrete out.
JLPT 1Joyo 7
float (on the water), drift, waft
tadayou, HYŌ
西
Left: water , right: vote (In the west 西 you show at a vote.)
Water 'voted' to let things float.
JLPT 1Joyo 7
beach, seacoast, sands
hama, HIN
Left: water , right: soldier (... on the hill are eight )
Over the water, soldiers came to the beach.
JLPT 2Joyo 7
float, fleet, surface
uku/kabu/kaberu/kareru, FU
Left: water , right: nourish 孚 (hand reaching down to a child )
Into the water a hand is reaching down for a child that is floating.
JLPT 2Joyo 7
boil, grow hot, gush
waku/kasu, FUTSU
Left: water , right: dollar 弗 (but here: flow heater with boiler coil and pipes || streamed through)
The water in the flow heater is boiling.
JLPT 1Joyo 7
coast, inlet, bay, seashore
ura, HO
Left: water , right: to begin (The hand takes the tool to use , when beginning sth.)
Water begins at the coast.
JLPT 1Joyo 7
foam, bubble, froth
awa,
Left: water , right: to wrap (The wrap itself makes it to be wrapped.)
When water is wrapping: it is foam.
JLPT 1Joyo 7
sink, collapse, fall, drown, vanish, ruin
BOTSU
Left: water , right: weapon 几 (battle axe) in a hand
In the water, sb. with a weapon in the hand is sinking.
JLPT 1Joyo 7
cartoon (Manga), random, diffuse, boundless
sozoro, MAN
Left: water , right: beautiful 曼 (.. when the sun shines on the eyes with long eyelashes )
With water-(colors it shows: ) the sun and (big) eyes (with eyelashes): The Manga.
JLPT 1Joyo 7
destroy, ruin, crumble
horobiru/bosu, METSU
From left: water , variation of person (= +), halberd , fire
Water, persons, fire and halberds can be: destructive.
JLPT 2Joyo 7
melt, dissolve
tokeru/kasu,
Left: water , right: outer apperance (The roofs in the valley define its appearance.)
Water comes from the roofes into the valley, because it is melting.
JLPT 2Joyo 7
cool, refreshing
suzumu/shii, RYŌ
Left: water , right: capital (image of a stone lantern)
The water in the capital is cool and refreshing.
JLPT 2Joyo 7
tear, teardrop, sympathy
namida, RUI
Left: water , right: to return (From a distance the door still appears small, but: The door gets bigger and bigger [the closer you get] when you return.)
(Risk of flooding) If the water returns to your door, you will get (big) tears.
JLPT 1Joyo 7
wave, drift, billows, unrestrained, reckless
nami,
Left: water , right: good
(When surfing) Water is good, if it is a wave.
JLPT 1Joyo 7
leak, escape
moru/reru/rasu,
Left: water , right: buttock from the side , rain
The water on the buttock is rain, but is leaking down.
JLPT 2Joyo 7
bay, gulf
WAN
Left: water , right: var. of red (When earth/clay is burned in fire , the pottery gets: red.), and bow
The water is reddish in the bow-shaped bay.
JLPT -Joyo 7
licentiousness, lewdness, dirty
midara, IN
Left: water , right: hand reaching down ; (Samurai with hat)
To (splash) water and grab the samurai's hat from above is licentiousness.
JLPT -Joyo 7
devastation, break, crush, smash
tsubu-su, tsubu-reru, KAI
Left: water , right: precious, valuable (In the middle is one with money : He is valuable!)
By water, even precious things can be devasted.
JLPT -Joyo 7
sand
suna, SA
Left: water , right: few, little
(In the past, water was never pure) In water was always a little sand.
JLPT -Joyo 7
separate, segregate, lunacy, extreme
TA
Left: water , right: fat (When you are big , a little more makes you thick and fat)
(Lack of dissolubility) Water and fat are separating.
JLPT -Joyo 7
drown, indulge
oboreru, DEKI
Left: water , right: weak (= Iced bows are weak.)
If you are in the water and feel weak, you will: drown.
JLPT -Joyo 7
spread out, wide, flood, inundation
HAN
Left: water , right: slumped person
In the water sits a slumped person, because it [=the water] spreat out to a flood.
JLPT -Joyo 7
universal, pan-, general purpose
HAN
Left: water , right: common (tables /几 with scratches are common.)
Water is commonly for universal (use).
JLPT -Joyo 7
uproar, gushing out, bubble up, emergence
waku,
Left: water , right: brave/valiant (a bent man , but brave)
The water develops its 'braveness' when it uproars.
JLPT -Joyo 7
fertility
YOKU
Left: water , right: early-death 夭 (here understood as: heaven )
The water from heaven (= the rain) brings fertility.

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