埃
dust
Readings
On'yomi
- アイ
Kun'yomi
- ほこり
- ちり
Meaning
埃 centers on fine particles of earth or matter that settle as dust.
Most common words using 埃
- 埃ほこりN3
dust
- 砂埃すなぼこり
cloud of dust (sand, etc.)
- 土埃つちぼこり
dust; cloud of dust
- 叩けば埃が出るたたけばほこりがでる
scratch the surface and you will find dirt; look close enough and you will find the flaws; hit something and dust comes out
- 埃あい
one ten-billionth
- 埃っぽいほこりっぽい
dusty; dust-covered
- 埃よけほこりよけ
dust protection; dust cover
- 埃茸ほこりたけ
common puffball (Lycoperdon perlatum); warted puffball
- 埃蜱ほこりだに
white mite (Tarsonemidae spp.); thread-footed mite
- 塵埃じんあい
dust; dirt
Study
Etymology
埃 combines 土 (earth) with 矣, which likely contributes the sound. The character expresses dust as fine earth particles.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side is earth 土, and the right side 矣 looks like a pile of fine grains. Picture a mound of earth crumbling into tiny dust particles.
Reading mnemonic
For アイ, imagine an eye irritated by dust: eye -> アイ, and the dust from the earth gets in your eye.