蒔
sow (seeds)
Readings
On'yomi
- シ
- ジ
Kun'yomi
- う.える
- ま.く
Nanori
- まい
- まか
- まき
Meaning
蒔 centers on planting seeds into the ground: the act of sowing.
Most common words using 蒔
- 蒔くまくN2
to sow; to plant; to seed
- 蒔絵まきえ
gold or silver lacquer; lacquer decoration sprinkled with metal powder
- 冬蒔きふゆまき
winter-sowing
- 平蒔絵ひらまきえ
hiramaki-e; lacquer decoration technique where metallic powder is sprinkled on a flat design and sealed with a thin layer of lacquer
- 権兵衛が種蒔きゃ烏がほじくるごんべえがたねまきゃからすがほじくる
spoiling someone's work; useless effort; labouring in vain; if a peasant sows seeds, the crows will dig them up
- 自分で蒔いた種じぶんでまいたたね
situation of one's own doing
- 蒔かぬ種は生えぬまかぬたねははえぬ
if you don't put in the effort, don't expect results; seeds you don't plant will never grow
- 蒔き付けまきつけ
sowing (seeds)
- 蒔き付けるまきつける
to sow (seeds)
- 蒔き灰まきばい
ash for spreading (tea ceremony)
- 金蒔絵きんまきえ
gold lacquer
- 高蒔絵たかまきえ
takamaki-e; embossed gilt lacquerwork
- 麦蒔むぎまき
wheat planting
- 麦蒔きむぎまき
sowing wheat or barley
Study
Etymology
蒔 combines the grass radical 艹 with 時 (time), likely as a phono-semantic compound where 時 hints at the sound and the idea of a season for planting.
Meaning mnemonic
Grass 艹 on top of 時 (time): picture the right time to scatter grass seeds over the soil.
Reading mnemonic
For シ, imagine sowing seeds while saying 'see' as you watch them fall: see -> シ.