沿 means “run along, follow”

そう · sou

Also: run alongside, follow along, lie along

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

そう

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

エン

JLPT N1 · Taught in grade 6 · 8 strokes

The story

Water (氵) beside ridges (几) over a hollow (口): a stream slipping out between them, following the river down. 沿う is to run alongside: 沿線 is the area along a train line, and crowds on the 沿道 cheer the Hakone Ekiden runners every January.

Used in 沿う (sou, to run along/follow), 沿線 (ensen, along a rail line), and 沿岸 (engan, coast)

More from Routes & Returns

• 巡 go around
• 往 go
• 軌 track
• 逸 deviate
• 搬 carry
• 循 circulate
• 旋 revolve
• 迭 replace
• 遷 move
• 遡 go upstream
• 臨 face
• 還 return

Learn 沿 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.