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Kotomora

払

pay, clear out, prune, banish, dispose of

JLPTN3StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 1,000Strokes5

Readings

On'yomi

  • フツ
  • ヒツ
  • ホツ

Kun'yomi

  • はら.う
  • -はら.い
  • -ばら.い

Nanori

  • はらい

Meaning

払 centers on removing something unwanted: paying money to settle a debt, clearing out clutter, pruning branches, banishing people, or disposing of items. The common thread is making something go away.

Most common words using 払

20 of 189
  • 払うはらう
    N5

    to pay (e.g. money, bill)

  • 支払うしはらう
    N3

    to pay

  • 支払いしはらい
    N3

    payment

  • 払いはらい
    N1

    payment; bill; account

  • 酔っ払いよっぱらい
    N3

    drunkard

  • 払拭ふっしょく

    wiping out; sweeping away; eradicating; dispelling

  • 払い下げはらいさげ

    sale (usu. of unwanted government assets); disposal

  • 未払いみはらい

    unpaid; overdue

  • 前払いまえばらい
    N1

    payment in advance; advance payment; prepayment

  • 払い戻しはらいもどし
    N3

    repayment; refund; payback

  • 後払いあとばらい

    deferred payment

  • 追い払うおいはらう
    N1

    to drive away; to clear; to scatter; to disperse

  • 不払いふばらい

    nonpayment; default

  • 先払いさきばらい

    payment in advance; advance payment; prepayment

  • 過払いかばらい

    overpayment; paying too much

  • 着払いちゃくばらい

    payment on delivery; cash on delivery; COD

  • 払い込みはらいこみ

    payment

  • 門前払いもんぜんばらい

    turning someone away (at the front door); refusing a visitor; shutting the door in someone's face; refusal of admission

  • 酔っ払うよっぱらう
    N3

    to get drunk

  • 売り払ううりはらう

    to sell off; to sell completely

Explore all words using 払 →

Study

Etymology

払 is the modern simplified form of 拂. The older form combines 扌 (hand) with 弗, which likely contributed the sound and the idea of sweeping away or brushing off. The modern 厶 shape is a simplification and should not be treated as the original historical component.

Meaning mnemonic

The hand radical 扌 beside 厶 suggests a hand sweeping something away. Picture a hand brushing dust off a shelf: clearing out, paying off, and disposing of things.

Reading mnemonic

For フツ, imagine a hand sweeping away a pile of foot-shaped clutter: foot -> フツ, and the hand clears it all out.