砥
whetstone, grindstone
Readings
On'yomi
- シ
- テイ
- キイ
- チ
Kun'yomi
- と
- といし
- と.ぐ
- みが.く
Meaning
砥 centers on a stone used for sharpening or grinding: a whetstone or grindstone. Both meanings refer to the same abrasive tool.
Most common words using 砥
- 砥石といし
whetstone; grindstone
- 砥と
whetstone; grindstone
- 青砥あおと
medium-grade millstone
- 中砥なかと
medium-grade millstone
- 丸砥石まるといし
grindstone
- 剃刀砥かみそりど
razor strop; hone
- 合わせ砥あわせど
double whetstone
- 油砥石あぶらといし
oilstone
- 砥糞とくそ
sludge from sharpening a sword, etc. on a grindstone
- 粗砥あらと
rough grindstone
- 青砥稿花紅彩画あおとぞうしはなのにしきえ
Aoto Zōshi Hana no Nishiki-e (kabuki play by Kawatake Mokuami)
- 革砥かわと
leather strop
Study
Etymology
砥 combines 石 (stone) with 氐, which likely contributes the sound and relates to a base or foundation, suggesting a stone used as a base for sharpening.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side is a stone 石, and the right side 氐 looks like a base or foundation. Picture a flat stone base used to sharpen blades: a whetstone.
Reading mnemonic
For シ, imagine sharpening a blade on a whetstone and hearing the soft 'shhh' sound of metal against stone: shhh -> シ.