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Kotomora

湔

wash, cleanse, purge

Strokes12

Readings

On'yomi

  • セン
  • サン

Kun'yomi

  • あら.う

Meaning

湔 centers on using water to remove dirt or impurities: washing, cleansing, or purging something to make it clean.

Study

Etymology

湔 combines 氵 (water) with 前, which likely contributes the sound and may also suggest the idea of going forward or progressing, as in water moving forward to wash away impurities.

Meaning mnemonic

Water 氵 flows forward 前, washing and cleansing everything in its path. Picture a stream purging dirt as it moves ahead.

Reading mnemonic

For セン, imagine a cleansing stream flowing through a thousand (千, せん) tiny channels, washing away impurities: 千 -> セン, and the water purifies.