挨 means “push close, greeting”

あい · ai

Also: approach, draw near, push open

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

ひらく

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

アイ

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 10 strokes

The story

A hand (扌) beside 矣: picture pushing through a crowd to reach someone. 挨 appears only in 挨拶, greeting, which began as a Zen term for monks pressing each other with questions to test their understanding.

Used in 挨拶 (aisatsu, greeting)

More from Speak & Explain

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

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

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