舞 means “dance, flutter”

まう · mau

Also: flit, circle, wheel

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

まう, まい

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ブ

JLPT N3 · Taught in secondary school · 15 strokes

The story

The top of 舞 is an old picture of a dancer swinging tassels, the same figure 無 grew from, with two stepping feet (舛) below. 舞う is to dance or flutter, like falling petals, and 舞台 is a stage.

Used in 舞台 (butai, stage), 歌舞伎 (kabuki, kabuki theater), and お見舞い (omimai, visit to someone sick)

More from Days at Home

• 居 be
• 絵 picture
• 遊 play
• 畑 field
• 泳 swim
• 煙 smoke
• 靴 shoes
• 番 turn
• 宅 home
• 景 scenery
• 候 climate

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

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