蝋
wax
Readings
On'yomi
- ロウ
Kun'yomi
- みつろう
- ろうそく
Nanori
- あじ
Meaning
蝋 centers on wax as a substance, especially beeswax or candle wax.
Most common words using 蝋
20 of 35- 蝋ろう
wax
- 蝋燭ろうそくN2
candle
- 蜜蝋みつろう
beeswax
- パラフィン蝋パラフィンろう
paraffin wax
- ルビー蝋虫ルビーろうむし
red wax scale
- 封蝋ふうろう
sealing wax
- 屍蝋しろう
adipocere (waxy substance formed by the decomposition of corpses subjected to moisture); grave wax
- 木蝋もくろう
vegetable wax; Japan wax; sumac wax
- 櫨蝋はぜろう
vegetable wax; Japan wax; sumac wax
- 生蝋きろう
crude Japan wax
- 白蝋はくろう
white wax
- 石油蝋せきゆろう
petroleum wax
- 石蝋せきろう
paraffin
- 葉蝋石ようろうせき
pyrophyllite
- 藍蝋あいろう
indigo wax; cylindrical shape made from indigo dye froth, often by boiling the froth with caustic soda, used for coloring paintings, etc.
- 虫白蝋ちゅうはくろう
tree wax; insect wax; Chinese wax
- 蜜蝋石みつろうせき
mellite
- 蝋人形ろうにんぎょう
wax figure; wax doll; wax model; waxwork
- 蝋光沢ろうこうたく
waxy lustre; waxy luster
- 蝋引きろうびき
waxing
Study
Etymology
蝋 is the modern simplified form of 蠟. The older form combines 虫 (insect) with 巤, which likely contributed the sound and referred to wax from insects. The modern right side 鼡 is a simplification.
Meaning mnemonic
The insect radical 虫 hints at beeswax from bees. The right side 鼡 looks like a mouse, but here imagine a mouse-shaped candle: 虫 + 鼡 = wax.
Reading mnemonic
For ロウ, picture a low-burning candle: low -> ロウ, and the wax slowly melts.