払
pay, clear out, prune, banish, dispose of
Readings
On'yomi
- フツ
- ヒツ
- ホツ
Kun'yomi
- はら.う
- -はら.い
- -ばら.い
Nanori
- はらい
Meaning
払 centers on removing something unwanted: paying money to settle a debt, clearing out clutter, pruning branches, banishing people, or disposing of items. The common thread is making something go away.
Most common words using 払
20 of 189- 払うはらうN5
to pay (e.g. money, bill)
- 支払うしはらうN3
to pay
- 支払いしはらいN3
payment
- 払いはらいN1
payment; bill; account
- 酔っ払いよっぱらいN3
drunkard
- 払拭ふっしょく
wiping out; sweeping away; eradicating; dispelling
- 払い下げはらいさげ
sale (usu. of unwanted government assets); disposal
- 未払いみはらい
unpaid; overdue
- 前払いまえばらいN1
payment in advance; advance payment; prepayment
- 払い戻しはらいもどしN3
repayment; refund; payback
- 後払いあとばらい
deferred payment
- 追い払うおいはらうN1
to drive away; to clear; to scatter; to disperse
- 不払いふばらい
nonpayment; default
- 先払いさきばらい
payment in advance; advance payment; prepayment
- 過払いかばらい
overpayment; paying too much
- 着払いちゃくばらい
payment on delivery; cash on delivery; COD
- 払い込みはらいこみ
payment
- 門前払いもんぜんばらい
turning someone away (at the front door); refusing a visitor; shutting the door in someone's face; refusal of admission
- 酔っ払うよっぱらうN3
to get drunk
- 売り払ううりはらう
to sell off; to sell completely
Study
Etymology
払 is the modern simplified form of 拂. The older form combines 扌 (hand) with 弗, which likely contributed the sound and the idea of sweeping away or brushing off. The modern 厶 shape is a simplification and should not be treated as the original historical component.
Meaning mnemonic
The hand radical 扌 beside 厶 suggests a hand sweeping something away. Picture a hand brushing dust off a shelf: clearing out, paying off, and disposing of things.
Reading mnemonic
For フツ, imagine a hand sweeping away a pile of foot-shaped clutter: foot -> フツ, and the hand clears it all out.