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Kotomora

腐

rot, decay, sour

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 2,000Strokes14

Readings

On'yomi

  • フ

Kun'yomi

  • くさ.る
  • -くさ.る
  • くさ.れる
  • くさ.れ
  • くさ.らす
  • くさ.す

Meaning

腐 centers on organic breakdown: rotting, decaying, or turning sour. The idea is that something once fresh spoils over time.

Most common words using 腐

20 of 128
  • 腐るくさる
    N4

    to rot; to go bad; to decay; to spoil; to fester; to decompose; to turn sour (e.g. milk)

  • 豆腐とうふ
    N1

    tofu; bean curd; beancurd

  • 腐敗ふはい
    N1

    decomposition; putrefaction; putrescence; spoilage

  • 腐食ふしょく

    rot; decay; erosion

  • 腐りくさり

    rottenness; decay; corruption

  • 陳腐ちんぷ
    N1

    stale; hackneyed; clichéd

  • 腐れくされ

    rotting; spoiling; decaying; corroding

  • 防腐ぼうふ

    preservation from decay; prevention of putrefaction; embalmment; antisepsis

  • 腐すくさす

    to speak ill of

  • 湯豆腐ゆどうふ

    boiled tofu

  • 腐れ縁くされえん

    (undesirable but) inseparable relationship

  • 持ち腐れもちぐされ

    unused possession

  • 腐心ふしん

    taking great pains (to do); making every effort; having a lot of trouble (doing); racking one's brains

  • ふて腐れふてくされ

    sulkiness

  • 後腐れあとくされ

    future trouble

  • 腐乱ふらん

    decomposition; ulceration

  • 腐臭ふしゅう

    smell of something rotten; rotten smell

  • 腐葉土ふようど

    humus; leaf mold; leaf mould; mulch

  • 腐肉ふにく

    carrion; decaying flesh; tainted meat

  • 腐朽ふきゅう

    decay; deterioration; rot

Explore all words using 腐 →

Study

Etymology

腐 combines 府 (which likely contributes the sound) with 肉 (flesh), suggesting flesh that has gone bad. The modern form keeps this phono-semantic structure.

Meaning mnemonic

Inside a government office (府) there is meat (肉) that has been left out too long and is now rotting and sour.

Reading mnemonic

For フ, imagine the foul smell of rotting meat: foul -> フ, and the stench fills the government office.