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Kotomora

漠

vague, obscure, desert, wide

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 2,000Strokes13

Readings

On'yomi

  • バク

Kun'yomi

—

Meaning

漠 centers on vast, unclear expanses: a wide desert that feels obscure, or something vague and hard to grasp.

Most common words using 漠

  • 砂漠さばく
    N3

    desert

  • サハラ砂漠サハラさばく

    Sahara Desert

  • 漠然ばくぜん
    N1

    vague; obscure; indistinct; hazy; ambiguous

  • 漠ばく

    vague; obscure

  • 砂漠化さばくか
    N2

    desertification

  • 冥漠めいばく

    dim and distant

  • 広漠こうばく

    vast; wide; boundless

  • 日本沙漠緑化実践協会にっぽんさばくりょくかじっせんきょうかい

    Japan Association for Greening Deserts

  • 漠々ばくばく

    vast; boundless

  • 砂漠気候さばくきこう

    desert climate; arid climate

  • 空々漠々くうくうばくばく

    vast; boundless; wide and empty

  • 空漠くうばく

    vast; boundless

  • 茫漠ぼうばく

    vast; boundless

  • 荒漠こうばく

    desolate (e.g. plains); ruined

Explore all words using 漠 →

Study

Etymology

漠 combines 氵 (water) with 莫, which likely contributes the sound and the idea of vastness or obscurity. The water radical may suggest a wide, shallow expanse like a desert mirage.

Meaning mnemonic

Water 氵 spreads out over a vast, empty plain 莫, creating a vague, obscure desert landscape.

Reading mnemonic

For バク, imagine a vast desert where you can only see the back of a distant camel: back -> バク, and the desert stretches wide and vague.