払 means “pay, sweep away”

はらう · harau

Also: clear out, prune, banish

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading): はらう
On'yomi (Chinese reading): フツ, ヒツ, ホツ

JLPT N4 · Taught in secondary school · 5 strokes

The story

A hand (扌) making a sweeping gesture (ム with strokes): pushing something away from you. 払う (harau) means both "to pay" and "to sweep/brush away," capturing the physical motion of handing over coins. At Shinto shrines, お祓い (oharai, purification) uses the same root: sweeping away impurity, just as payment clears a debt.

Used in 支払い (shiharai, payment), 払い戻し (haraimodoshi, refund), and 払う (harau, to pay)

払 means “pay, sweep away”

The story

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