支 means “support, branch, pay out”

ささえる · sasaeru

Also: sustain, branch radical (no. 65)

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

ささえる, つかえる, かう

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

シ

JLPT N3 · Taught in grade 5 · 4 strokes

The story

A hand (又) holding a branch (十) cut from the bamboo: a stick to lean on, and a shoot split off from the stem. So 支 supports (支える), branches off (支店, a branch office), and pays out: 支払い is the payment at the register.

Used in 支える (sasaeru, to support), 支払い (shiharai, payment), and 支店 (shiten, branch office)

More from Money Matters

• 済 finish
• 得 gain
• 資 resources
• 与 give
• 費 expense
• 財 wealth
• 易 easy
• 給 supply
• 返 return
• 貧 poor
• 経 pass through
• 受 receive

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