染
染·dye, colour, soak in, be infected
- On-yomi
- セン
- Kun-yomi
- そ(める)そ(まる)し(みる)
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Stroke order
Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.
Common words
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 汚染 | おせん | pollution, contamination |
| 感染 | かんせん | infection |
| 染める | そめる | to dye |
| 染み | しみ | stain, blot |
Example sentences
髪を明るい茶色に染めた。
かみをあかるいちゃいろにそめた。
I dyed my hair a light brown.
工場の排水で川が汚染されている。
こうじょうのはいすいでかわがおせんされている。
The river is polluted by wastewater from the factory.
Similar-looking kanji
Do not confuse these on the exam.
Common mistakes
- Writing the top right of 染 as 丸 — it is 九, with no dot
- Reading 感染 as かんぜん — it is かんせん (かんぜん is 完全)
Memory aid
Picture it
Water 氵 and nine 九 over a tree 木: dipping cloth nine times in the dye-bath drawn from a tree — that is how colour soaks in.
Vocabulary using this kanji
Quick check
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What does the kanji 染 mean?