Nihongo

Kanji Detail of 払

Level:N3 Mid
Strokes:5
Stroke Order
Related Words
AI Explanation
Basic Meaning

The kanji primarily conveys the meaning of "to pay," "to brush," "to get rid of," or "to wipe away." It suggests an action of removal, exchange, or cleansing. It implies an act of giving something away, whether it's money, unwanted objects, or negative emotions.

Readings

・On-yomi (音読み): ⚫︎ フツ (futs-): ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): ⚫︎ はら(う) (hara(u)): to pay, to brush, to sweep away

Usage Examples

⚫︎ 料金を払う Translation: To pay the fee. ⚫︎ ごみを払う Translation: To brush away the dust. ⚫︎ 未払いの請求書 Translation: Unpaid invoice.

Origin and Formation

The kanji is a 形声文字 (keisei moji), which means it's a character that combines a semantic component (a part that indicates the meaning) and a phonetic component (a part that indicates the pronunciation). In this case, the semantic component is "扌" (てへ - tehen), which is the "hand" radical, indicating an action done with the hand. The phonetic component is "弗" (futsu), which hints at the pronunciation. The original form depicts a hand giving away or removing something. Over time, it evolved to represent the actions of paying, brushing, or getting rid of.

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