溺
drown, indulge
Readings
On'yomi
- デキ
- ジョウ
- ニョウ
Kun'yomi
- いばり
- おぼ.れる
Meaning
溺 centers on being overwhelmed by something, whether physically submerged in water (drowning) or metaphorically lost in a desire or habit (indulging). Both senses share the idea of losing control and being pulled under.
Most common words using 溺
- 溺れるおぼれるN3
to struggle in the water; to sink below the surface and become unable to breathe; to (nearly) drown
- 溺愛できあい
infatuation; adoration; blind love; doting (on a child)
- 溺死できし
death by drowning
- 耽溺たんでき
indulgence (in alcohol, women, etc.); debauchery; dissipation
- 溺れ死におぼれじに
death by drowning
- 惑溺わくでき
indulgence; addiction; infatuation
- 沈溺ちんでき
being immersed in water; being drowned
- 溺らすおぼらす
to drown
- 溺れる者は藁をも掴むおぼれるものはわらをもつかむ
a drowning man will clutch at a straw
- 溺れ損なうおぼれそこなう
to come near being drowned
- 溺れ死ぬおぼれしぬ
to die by drowning; to drown
- 溺れ谷おぼれだに
drowned valley; ria
- 溺れ込むおぼれこむ
to drown; to get addicted; to become infatuated
- 溺死体できしたい
drowned body
- 溺死者できししゃ
drowned person
- 溺水できすい
drowning
- 策士策に溺れるさくしさくにおぼれる
craft brings nothing home; the crafty schemer drowns in his own scheme
- 耽溺生活たんできせいかつ
a fast (dissolute) life; a life of follies; a life given to dissolute pleasures
Study
Etymology
溺 combines 氵 (water) with 弱, which likely contributes both sound and the idea of weakness or yielding. The character suggests being overcome by water, leading to drowning, and by extension being overcome by desires.
Meaning mnemonic
Water 氵 on the left and weakness 弱 on the right: imagine a weak swimmer being pulled under by the water, drowning. That same weakness can also mean indulging too much in something, like being swept away by a craving.
Reading mnemonic
For デキ, picture a deck of a ship sinking as someone drowns: deck -> デキ, and the water pulls them under.