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Kotomora

薉

dirty, unclean, immoral, obscene

Strokes16

Readings

On'yomi

  • ワイ
  • エ

Kun'yomi

  • あ.れる

Meaning

薉 centers on impurity and moral taint: something physically dirty or unclean, and by extension, behavior that is obscene or immoral.

Study

Etymology

薉 is a rare character combining 艹 (grass) with 歲, which likely contributes the sound. The exact historical development is uncertain, but it is related to the more common variant 穢.

Meaning mnemonic

Grass 艹 growing over an old, neglected 歲 area suggests a place that has become dirty and overgrown, reflecting impurity and moral decay.

Reading mnemonic

For ワイ, imagine a dirty, overgrown yard that makes you say 'Why?' in disgust: Why -> ワイ, as you wonder why it's so unclean.