粘 means “sticky, persevere”

ねばる · nebaru

Also: glutinous, greasy

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

ねばる

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ネン

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 11 strokes

The story

Rice (米) beside 占, occupy: picture sticky grains claiming a spot on your fingers and refusing to leave. 粘る is to be sticky and to hang on, 粘土 is clay, and 粘り強い, tenacious, is high praise.

Used in 粘る (nebaru, to be sticky/persevere), 粘土 (nendo, clay), and 粘り強い (nebarizuyoi, tenacious)

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