賄 means “bribe, provide for”

わい · wai

Also: board, supply, finance

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

まかなう

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ワイ

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 13 strokes

The story

Shells (貝), the old money, beside 有, to have: money handed over so someone can have it. 賄う is to cover costs, as in 寄付で賄う, to pay for something with donations, but slipped under the table the same money is 賄賂, a bribe.

Used in 賄賂 (wairo, bribe), 収賄 (shuuwai, taking bribes), and 賄う (makanau, to cover/provide for)

More from Thieves & Swindlers

• 謀 plot
• 虐 cruelty
• 拐 kidnap
• 詐 fraud
• 欺 deceive
• 殴 hit
• 窃 steal
• 賊 bandit
• 賂 bribe
• 拉 abduct
• 偽 fake
• 唆 suggest

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