臥
bend down, bow, lie prostrate
Readings
On'yomi
- ガ
Kun'yomi
- ふせ.る
- ふ.せる
- ふ.す
Meaning
臥 centers on lowering the body into a horizontal or submissive position: bending down, bowing, or lying prostrate.
Most common words using 臥
20 of 33- 臥せるふせる
to lie down (and sleep); to go to bed (with an illness)
- 座臥ざが
sitting and lying down
- 臥薪嘗胆がしんしょうたん
going through thick and thin to attain one's objective; enduring unspeakable hardships for the sake of vengeance
- 草臥れるくたびれるN3
to get tired; to become exhausted; to grow weary
- 仰臥ぎょうが
lying on one's back; lying face upward; lying supine
- 伏臥ふくが
lying face down; lying on one's face; lying prostrate
- 偃臥えんが
lying face down
- 側臥そくが
lying down on one's side
- 分娩臥床ぶんべんがしょう
lying-in bed
- 安臥あんが
quiet rest
- 帰臥きが
quitting one's job as a government official to return to live quietly in one's own native region
- 常住坐臥じょうじゅうざが
at all times; day in, day out; constantly; always
- 平臥へいが
lying down
- 横臥おうが
lying on one's side
- 添い臥しそいぶし
sleeping together
- 病臥びょうが
being ill in bed
- 臥し転ぶふしまろぶ
to fall and roll over; wriggle about
- 臥すがす
to lie down (in bed); to take to one's bed
- 臥すふす
to lie down (in bed); to retire (to bed); to become bedridden (with an illness)
- 臥するがする
to lie down (in bed); to take to one's bed
Study
Etymology
臥 combines 臣 (a pictograph of a bent or lowered person) with 人 (person), reinforcing the idea of a person bending down or lying prostrate.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side 臣 looks like a person bending over, and the right side 人 is another person. Together they show someone bowing or lying down.
Reading mnemonic
For ガ, imagine a person bowing so low they look like a gargoyle crouching on a ledge: gargoyle -> ガ, and the bent posture matches 臥.