noun
sleeve (of a kimono); pocket of sleeve
Primarily refers to the sleeve of traditional Japanese clothing, especially the deep hanging part that can function as a pocket. Also appears in the idiom 袂を分かつ (to part ways).
See also: 袂を分かつ
彼女は袂からハンカチを取り出した。
She took a handkerchief out of her kimono sleeve.
二人は袂を分かって別々の道を歩ん
The two parted ways and walked separate paths.
noun
Used in classical or literary contexts to refer to the area near a bridge. Rare in modern everyday speech; more commonly expressed with 橋のたもと or 橋のそば.
橋のたもとに小さな茶屋があった。
There was a small teahouse at the foot of the bridge.
noun
foot of a mountain; base of a mountain
Literary or poetic term for the base of a mountain. In modern Japanese, 山のふもと is more common, but 山のたもと can appear in elevated writing.
山のたもとに小さな集落が広がっていた。
A small settlement spread out at the foot of the mountain.
袖 is the general word for sleeve of any garment, while 袂 specifically refers to the hanging sleeve of a kimono or traditional robe.
ふもと is the standard modern word for the foot of a mountain; 袂 in this sense is literary and less common.
The kanji 袂 combines 衣 (clothing) and 夬 (a component suggesting parting or dividing), fitting the sleeve sense. The extended meanings 'vicinity of a bridge' and 'foot of a mountain' likely derive from the image of a sleeve-like area at the edge of a structure or landform. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.