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Kotomora

萊

goosefoot, weed, fallow field

StatusJinmeiyōStrokes11

Readings

On'yomi

  • ライ
  • リ

Kun'yomi

  • あかざ
  • あれわ
  • こうがい

Meaning

萊 centers on uncultivated, weedy growth: a fallow field overrun with plants like goosefoot. It refers to both the weed itself and the neglected land it grows on.

Study

Etymology

萊 combines the grass radical 艹 with 來, which likely contributes the sound. The character originally referred to a type of weed or overgrown land.

Meaning mnemonic

The grass top 艹 over 來 (which resembles a plant with drooping leaves) suggests a weedy plant taking over a fallow field. Picture goosefoot spreading across neglected farmland.

Reading mnemonic

For ライ, imagine a field overrun with weeds that look like rye grass: rye -> ライ, and the fallow field is full of it.