覆 means “cover, overturn”

おおう · oou

Also: capsize, shade, mantle

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

おおう, くつがえす, くつがえる

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

フク

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 18 strokes

The story

A lid (覀) pressed down over 復, turning back: covering something, or flipping it right over. 覆う is to cover, 覆面 is a mask, and 覆す is to overturn, as when a higher court overturns a verdict or a boat 転覆, capsizes.

Used in 覆う (oou, to cover), 覆す (kutsugaesu, to overturn), and 転覆 (tenpuku, capsizing)

More from Hidden & Hazy

• 披 open
• 虚 empty
• 顕 manifest
• 伏 lie face down
• 漠 vague
• 錯 mixed up
• 謎 riddle
• 匿 hide
• 妄 delusion
• 蔽 cover
• 曖 dim
• 昧 dark

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

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