煽
fan, flap, instigate, agitate, bolster up, gulp down
Readings
On'yomi
- セン
Kun'yomi
- あお.る
- おだ.てる
- おこ.る
Meaning
煽 centers on stirring up air or emotion: fanning a flame, flapping wings, or agitating people into action. The sense of gulping down is a natural extension of fanning something inward rapidly.
Most common words using 煽
- 煽るあおるN1
to fan (oneself, flames, etc.)
- 煽りあおり
gust (of wind); blast
- 煽ておだて
instigation; flattery
- 煽てるおだてるN1
to flatter; to soft-soap; to sweet talk; to cajole; to instigate
- 煽てと畚には乗り易いおだてともっこにはのりやすい
it's dangerous to fall for flattery
- 煽りを食うあおりをくう
to suffer a blast or indirect blow; to be subject to the surplus force of an impetus
- 煽り止めあおりどめ
doorstop
- 煽り立てるあおりたてる
to flap strongly; to stir up fiercely
- 煽り記事あおりきじ
inflammatory (news) article; inflammatory fake news
- 煽り足あおりあし
scissors kick (swimming)
Study
Etymology
煽 combines 火 (fire) with 扇 (fan), suggesting fanning a fire to stir it up. The extended meanings of agitating or instigating follow from this image.
Meaning mnemonic
Fire 火 on the left and a fan 扇 on the right: picture fanning flames to make them roar, or fanning emotions to stir people up.
Reading mnemonic
For セン, imagine a sen (千, thousand) fans flapping at once, whipping up a huge fire: 千 -> セン, and the air is full of agitation.