曖 means “dim, vague”

あい · ai

Also: dark, not clear

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

くらい

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

アイ

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 17 strokes

The story

The sun (日) behind 愛, love: a light softened and hazy, like a feeling no one will name. 曖 appears almost only in 曖昧, vague, the word for an answer that is neither yes nor no, and Japanese has many polite ways to stay 曖昧.

Used in 曖昧 (aimai, vague/ambiguous)

More from Hidden & Hazy

• 昧 dark
• 踪 trail
• 惑 be bewildered
• 密 secret
• 秘 secret
• 紛 mix in
• 隠 hide
• 潜 dive
• 覆 cover
• 披 open
• 虚 empty
• 顕 manifest

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

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