Meaning
The kanji 擦 (さつ, こする, する, かすれる) most commonly means "to rub" or "to scrape." It also covers related actions like chafing, polishing, wiping, grazing, or striking (as in a match). Essentially, it describes an action involving friction between two surfaces.
The kanji 擦 is a phono-semantic compound (形声文字 - keisei moji). This means it combines a semantic component that indicates its meaning with a phonetic component that suggests its pronunciation. The left side, 手 (て), is the radical for "hand," clearly showing that the action involves manual dexterity or is performed with the hands. The right side, 察 (さつ), acts as the phonetic component, giving 擦 its "satsu" reading and offering a subtle clue to its meaning. While 察 itself means "to discern" or "to investigate," its phonetic similarity lends the sound to 擦. The original meaning of 察 included the idea of rubbing or touching to examine, which further connects to the meaning of 擦. Therefore, the kanji visually portrays the action of "rubbing with the hand" to achieve various effects, such as cleaning, smoothing, or creating friction.
This kanji has 17 strokes and is not assigned a specific grade level in the Japanese school system as it is an N1 level kanji, indicating advanced proficiency.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
The on'yomi reading for 擦 is サツ (satsu). You'll usually encounter this reading in more formal, technical, or abstract compound words, especially those related to friction, abrasion, or specific linguistic terms.
- 摩擦 (masatsu) — friction. This common word describes the force that opposes motion.
- 擦過傷 (sakkashō) — abrasion, graze, scratch. This refers to an injury sustained from rubbing or scraping.
- 擦音 (satsuon) — fricative. In linguistics, this term describes a consonant sound made by forcing air through a narrow gap.
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
The kun'yomi readings are more frequently encountered in everyday Japanese, especially as verbs. They describe the direct actions of rubbing, scraping, or brushing.
- 擦る (kosuru) — to rub, to scrub, to chafe. This is a common transitive verb for actively rubbing something.
- 目を擦る (me wo kosuru) — to rub one's eyes.
- 擦り合わせる (suriawaseru) — to rub together, to coordinate, to adjust. It implies bringing two things into contact to align or smooth them, or metaphorically, to coordinate ideas.
- 擦る (suru) — to rub, to strike (a match), to file down. While 擦る is more commonly used for general rubbing, 擦る appears in specific contexts or compounds, such as when striking a match.
- マッチを擦る (macchi wo suru) — to strike a match.
- 擦り減る (suriheru) — to wear down, to rub away.
- 擦れる (kasureru) — to get blurred, to become hoarse, to wear out (intransitive). This describes a state where something becomes faded or indistinct from rubbing or overuse.
- 声が擦れる (koe ga kasureru) — for one's voice to become hoarse.
- 字が擦れる (ji ga kasureru) — for the writing to become blurred/faded.
Common Words & Compounds
Here are some common words and compounds featuring 擦, categorized by their general themes:
Actions and States of Rubbing/Friction
- 擦り傷 (surikizu) — scratch, abrasion, graze. This refers to a minor injury caused by friction.
- 擦り減る (suriheru) — to wear down, to rub away. This term describes gradual erosion caused by friction.
- 擦り込む (surikomu) — to rub in, to work into. You'll often hear this when talking about applying creams or other substances.
- 擦りつける (kosuritsukeru) — to rub onto, to smear. This emphasizes forcefully applying something by rubbing it on.
- 擦り合わせる (suriawaseru) — to rub together, to adjust, to coordinate. It implies fine-tuning something through repeated friction or comparison, such as adjusting parts or aligning opinions.
- 擦れる (sureru) — to brush against, to rub (intransitive). This can describe objects rubbing against each other, or metaphorically, someone becoming "worldly-wise" or jaded.
Related to Materials and Appearances
- 擦りガラス (surigarasu) — frosted glass, ground glass. This refers to glass made opaque by rubbing or grinding its surface.
- 擦れ切れ (surikire) — worn out, frayed. This describes fabric or other items damaged from repeated rubbing.
Abstract or Technical Concepts
- 摩擦 (masatsu) — friction, rub, conflict. This term can describe either physical friction or metaphorical conflict between people or ideas.
- 擦過 (sakka) — grazing, abrasion. This is a more technical term for a shallow scrape or graze.
- 擦音 (satsuon) — fricative (linguistics).
Example Sentences
彼は眠くて目を擦った。
Kare wa nemukute me wo kosutta.
He rubbed his eyes because he was sleepy.
テーブルの上の汚れを布で拭いて落とした。
Tēburu no ue no yogore wo nuno de fuite otoshita.
I wiped off the dirt on the table with a cloth.
自転車が壁に擦れて傷ができた。
Jitensha ga kabe ni surete kizu ga dekita.
The bicycle scraped against the wall and got a scratch.
古いズボンは擦り切れてもう履けない。
Furui zubon wa surikirete mō hakenai.
The old trousers are worn out and can no longer be worn.
会議で意見を擦り合わせて、最終的な決定をした。
Kaigi de iken wo suriawasete, saishūteki na kettei wo shita.
We coordinated our opinions in the meeting and made a final decision.
乾燥した肌には、クリームをよく擦り込むといい。
Kansō shita hada ni wa, kurīmu wo yoku surikomu to ii.
For dry skin, it's good to rub in the cream well.
壁の塗料が剥がれ、擦り落とすのに時間がかかった。
Kabe no toryō ga hagare, kosuriotosu no ni jikan ga kakatta.
The paint on the wall peeled off, and it took time to scrape it off.
喉が痛くて声が擦れてしまった。
Nodo ga itakute koe ga kasurete shimatta.
My throat hurt and my voice became hoarse.
靴底が地面と摩擦して音を立てた。
Kutsusoko ga jimen to masatsu shite oto wo tateta.
The sole of the shoe rubbed against the ground and made a sound.
Memory Tip
To remember 擦, consider its components: 手 (hand) on the left, and 察 (discern, investigate) on the right. Picture using your hand to rub an object. Perhaps you're trying to discern its texture more clearly, or rubbing away dirt to investigate it properly. This could be rubbing away dirt or polishing a surface to examine it more closely. This story combines the physical action of rubbing (hand) with the goal of clarity or observation (discern/investigate), offering a vivid way to recall 擦.