Meaning
The kanji 漂 (hyou, tadayou) has diverse meanings. It's primarily associated with movement on water, often without a clear direction, and also with the act of whitening. Essentially, 漂 means "to drift," "to float," or "to wander." It also extends to "to bleach" or "to wash out."
This kanji consists of two main parts. On the left is the radical 水 (sui/mizu), meaning "water." This clearly indicates the kanji's connection to liquids or water-related activities. On the right is 票 (hyou/fuda), meaning "ticket" or "ballot." This component serves as the phonetic element, giving the kanji its on'yomi reading "ヒョウ" (hyou).
Interestingly, 票 also subtly contributes to the meaning. Imagine a light slip of paper or a ticket (票) being carried effortlessly by water (水); this image evokes the sense of drifting or floating lightly. For the "bleaching" meaning, the water element is obviously present. Here, the "whitening" action can be linked to the idea of "washing away" or "making clear," much like a clean, blank ticket.
As an N1 level kanji, 漂 has 15 strokes and is not taught in Japanese elementary school grades.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
The primary on'yomi of 漂, stemming from its historical Chinese pronunciation, is ヒョウ (hyou). You'll frequently encounter this reading in formal compounds and technical terms, especially those describing floating, drifting, or chemical processes like bleaching.
- ヒョウ (hyou)
This reading is common in words referring to objects or people carried by water or air, or the process of making things white.
- 漂流 (hyōryū) — drift, go adrift; often used for ships or people lost at sea.
- 漂白 (hyōhaku) — bleaching; the process of making something whiter, often using chemicals.
- 漂着 (hyōchaku) — (of something) washing ashore; refers to objects carried by currents arriving on land.
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
The kun'yomi of 漂 are native Japanese readings. They convey the kanji's meaning through Japanese verbs or adjectives. The most prominent kun'yomi for 漂 is ただよう, which conveys a nuanced sense of drifting, lingering, or wafting.
- ただよう (tadayou)
This verb means "to drift," "to float," "to waft," "to hang in the air," or "to wander." It implies a gentle, often undirected movement or presence, whether physical or abstract.
- 漂う (tadayou) — to drift, to float, to waft (e.g., a scent).
- 香りが漂う (kaori ga tadayou) — a scent drifts or hangs in the air.
- 雰囲気が漂う (fun'iki ga tadayou) — an atmosphere hangs or prevails.
Common Words & Compounds
You'll find the kanji 漂 in many Japanese words and compounds, showcasing its diverse meanings related to water movement, purification, and even subtle atmospheric presence. Learning these compounds is essential for a complete understanding of 漂.
Words related to Drifting and Floating:
漂流 (hyōryū) — drifting, going adrift. Used when something is carried by currents without control.
漂着 (hyōchaku) — washing ashore. Describes something that drifts and eventually lands on a shore.
漂流物 (hyōryūbutsu) — flotsam, drifting object. Any item found floating in the sea or washed ashore.
漂泊 (hyōhaku) — wandering, roaming. Often used in a literary sense for a person traveling without a fixed destination.
漂泊者 (hyōhakusha) — a wanderer, a rover.
Words related to Bleaching and Washing:
漂白 (hyōhaku) — bleaching, whitening. The act of making something white or removing stains.
漂白剤 (hyōhakuzai) — bleach, bleaching agent. A chemical substance used for bleaching.
漂洗 (hyōsen) — rinsing (after bleaching or washing). A more technical term often used in industrial processes.
Words related to Atmosphere and General Movement:
漂う (tadayou) — to drift, to float, to waft, to hang (as in a scent or atmosphere). This is the most common verb form.
漂々 (hyōhyō) — drifting, wandering (often implies light, unattached, or carefree). This is an adverbial expression.
漂然 (hyōzen) — aimlessly, adrift (adverbial form). Similar to 漂々 but often emphasizing the lack of direction.
Example Sentences
海には様々な漂流物が漂っています。
Umi ni wa samazama na hyōryūbutsu ga tadayotte imasu.
Various drifting objects are floating in the sea.
この洗剤には漂白剤が含まれています。
Kono senzai ni wa hyōhakuzai ga fukumarete imasu.
This detergent contains bleach.
遠くから甘い香りが漂ってきました。
Tōku kara amai kaori ga tadayotte kimashita.
A sweet scent wafted from afar.
座礁した船は長い間海を漂流していたらしい。
Zashō shita fune wa nagai aida umi o hyōryū shite ita rashii.
It seems the stranded ship had been drifting at sea for a long time.
浜辺に多くのゴミが漂着しているのが見つかった。
Hamabe ni ooku no gomi ga hyōchaku shite iru no ga mitsukatta.
Much rubbish was found washed ashore on the beach.
彼は定職につかず全国を漂泊している。
Kare wa teishoku ni tsukazu zenkoku o hyōhaku shite iru.
He doesn't have a regular job and is wandering nationwide.
古い屋敷には陰鬱な雰囲気が漂っていた。
Furui yashiki ni wa in'utsu na fun'iki ga tadayotte ita.
A gloomy atmosphere hung over the old mansion.
環境問題として海洋に漂流するプラスチックごみが深刻だ。
Kankyō mondai to shite kaiyō ni hyōryū suru purasuchikku gomi ga shinkoku da.
Plastic waste drifting in the ocean is a serious environmental problem.
衣類の頑固な汚れは漂白することで落とせる場合がある。
Irui no ganko na yogore wa hyōhaku suru koto de otoseru baai ga aru.
Stubborn stains on clothes can sometimes be removed by bleaching.
彼の詩には人生の無常さが漂っていた。
Kare no shi ni wa jinsei no mujōsa ga tadayotte ita.
A sense of life's impermanence permeated his poetry.
Memory Tip
To remember 漂, focus on its two main components. On the left, we have 水 (water). On the right is 票 (ticket/slip). Picture a tiny paper ticket (票) falling into a stream of water (水). It doesn't sink; instead, it gently drifts and floats along the current. This vivid image directly links the "ticket" (票) with the action of "floating" or "drifting" (漂) on "water" (水).
For the "bleach" meaning, you can extend this image. Think of water (水) being used with a bleaching agent to make things white and clean, as if washing away impurities or color to reveal a blank, ticket-like (票) surface.