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Kotomora

洮

cleanse, river in Gansu province

Strokes9

Readings

On'yomi

  • トウ
  • ヨウ

Kun'yomi

  • あら.う

Meaning

洮 centers on cleansing with water, and by extension a specific river in Gansu province. The river name is a proper-noun application of the cleansing-water idea.

Study

Etymology

洮 combines 氵 (water) with 兆, which likely contributes the sound. The character originally referred to a river name, and the cleansing meaning likely derives from the water association.

Meaning mnemonic

Water 氵 beside 兆 suggests a river washing things clean. Picture the river in Gansu province as a natural cleanser flowing through the land.

Reading mnemonic

For トウ, imagine the river's cleansing water flowing into a toe: toe -> トウ, and the water washes the toe clean.