燃 means “burn”

もえる · moeru

Also: blaze, glow

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

もえる, もやす, もす

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ネン

JLPT N2 · Taught in grade 5 · 16 strokes

The story

然 was once meat (月) and a dog (犬) over fire (灬), meaning to burn; when it came to mean "so", another fire (火) was added. 燃える is to burn, and Japan sorts its trash into 燃えるゴミ and 燃えないゴミ.

Used in 燃える (moeru, to burn), 燃料 (nenryou, fuel), and 燃えるゴミ (moerugomi, burnable trash)

More from Quake & Fire

• 跡 trace
• 灰 ash
• 極 extreme
• 混 mix
• 震 quake
• 傾 lean

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

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