疎 means “sparse, estranged”

そ · so

Also: alienate, rough, neglect, shun

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

うとい, うとむ, まばら

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ソ, ショ

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 12 strokes

The story

A foot (疋) beside a tied bundle (束): picture stepping back as the bundle loosens and gaps open up. 疎 is sparse and distant: 過疎 is the emptying of rural Japan, 疎遠 drifting apart, and 疎い being out of touch.

Used in 過疎 (kaso, depopulation), 疎遠 (soen, estrangement), and 疎い (utoi, out of touch with)

More from Apart & Together

• 媒 medium
• 寡 few
• 附 attach
• 独 alone
• 離 separate
• 従 follow
• 伴 accompany
• 属 belong
• 併 combine
• 兼 double as
• 孤 solitary
• 唯 only

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

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