苫
rush matting
FrequencyTop 5,000Strokes8
Readings
On'yomi
- セン
Kun'yomi
- とま
Meaning
苫 refers to a woven covering made from rushes or straw, typically a mat used for thatching or temporary shelter.
Most common words using 苫
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Etymology
苫 combines the grass radical 艹 with 占, which likely provides the sound. The character originally referred to a thatch or rush mat used for roofing or shelter.
Meaning mnemonic
The grass radical 艹 sits above 占, like woven grass or rushes spread over a frame to form a mat or thatch.
Reading mnemonic
For セン, imagine a rush mat spread over a cent (coin) to protect it from the rain: cent -> セン, and the mat covers the coin.