浄 means “pure, purify”

じょう · jou

Also: clean, cleanse, exorcise

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

きよめる, きよい

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ジョウ, セイ

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 9 strokes

The story

Water (氵) beside 争, struggle: picture water scrubbing until the dirt gives up. 浄 is pure: a 浄水器 filters tap water, and 浄土, the Pure Land of Amida Buddha, gives its name to 浄土宗 and 浄土真宗, Japan's Pure Land schools.

Used in 浄化 (jouka, purification), 浄水器 (jousuiki, water purifier), and 浄土 (joudo, Pure Land)

More from Temple & Zen

• 悟 realize
• 仰 look up
• 僧 monk
• 尼 nun
• 禅 Zen
• 刹 temple
• 宗 religion
• 戒 guard against
• 聖 holy

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