洗 means “wash”

あらう · arau

Also: inquire into, probe

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

あらう

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

セン

JLPT N4 · Taught in grade 6 · 9 strokes

The story

Water (氵) poured over bare feet (先): washing as the threshold ritual it has always been in Japan. Before the shrine, the bath, the meal: first, you wash.

Used in 洗う (arau, to wash), 洗濯 (sentaku, laundry), and お手洗い (otearai, restroom)

More from Everyday Japan

• 同 same
• 円 circle
• 度 degrees
• 午 noon
• 名 name
• 物 thing
• 電 electricity
• 真 true
• 有 possess
• 何 what
• 映 reflect
• 毎 every

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

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