拶 means “press close, greeting”

さつ · satsu

Also: be imminent, draw close

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

せまる

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

サツ

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 9 strokes

The story

A hand (扌) beside a river (巛) over evening (夕): picture stepping up to a neighbor at dusk to say hello. 拶 lives only in 挨拶, the greeting Japan runs on, from school posters urging it to the small gift you bring the neighbors when you move in.

Used in 挨拶 (aisatsu, greeting)

More from Speak & Explain

• 詮 scrutinize
• 謝 apologize
• 訳 translation
• 釈 explain
• 喚 call out
• 陳 display
• 尋 ask
• 啓 open
• 諭 admonish
• 挨 push close

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

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