瀬
rapids, current, torrent, shallows, shoal
Readings
On'yomi
- ライ
Kun'yomi
- せ
Nanori
- いわた
- がせ
- しげ
- せい
- せっ
Meaning
瀬 centers on moving water in a shallow or fast-flowing place: rapids, currents, torrents, shallows, or shoals. The common thread is water moving over a shallow or uneven bed, creating swift or turbulent flow.
Most common words using 瀬
20 of 44- 瀬せ
shallows; shoal
- 瀬戸せと
strait; channel
- 瀬戸内海せとないかい
Seto Inland Sea; Inland Sea
- 高瀬たかせ
shallow river; shallows
- 浅瀬あさせ
shoal; shallows; sand bar; ford
- 大瀬おおせ
Japanese wobbegong (Orectolobus japonicus); Japanese carpet shark; fringe shark
- 瀬戸際せとぎわ
brink; verge; critical moment; crucial moment
- 川瀬かわせ
rapids; shallows of a river
- 早瀬はやせ
swift current; rapids
- 逢瀬おうせ
rendezvous; tryst; (lover's) meeting; (secret) date
- 年の瀬としのせ
the year end; end of the year; last days of the year
- 瀬戸物せとものN2
earthenware; porcelain; china; pottery; crockery
- 瀬踏みせぶみ
sounding out; measuring the depths (of a river)
- 立つ瀬たつせ
one's position; one's face; one's honour; one's reputation
- アラフラ大瀬アラフラおおせ
tasselled wobbegong (Eucrossorhinus dasypogon)
- 下瀬火薬しもせかやく
Shimose powder (explosive composed chiefly of picric acid); Shimose
- 中瀬鉱なかせこう
nakaseite
- 五十瀬いせ
many torrents; many rapids
- 五瀬命いつせのみこと
Itsuse no Mikoto; older brother of Emperor Jimmu who accompanied him on his eastern expedition but died in Kinokuni before reaching Yamato
- 尾瀬草おぜそう
Japonolirion osense (species of flowering plant)
Study
Etymology
瀬 combines 氵 (water) with 頼, which likely contributes the sound ライ. The character originally referred to shallow, fast-moving water.
Meaning mnemonic
The water radical 氵 on the left flows into the right side 頼, which looks like a person leaning over a rushing stream. Picture someone relying on a shallow rapid to cross a river.
Reading mnemonic
For ライ, imagine a rapid current so strong it makes a loud 'rye' sound as water crashes over rocks: rye -> ライ.