← Back

薄

dilute
Stroke count: 16

Readings

On readingハク
Kun readingうす.い、うす-、-うす、うす.める、うす.まる、うす.らぐ、うす.ら-、うす.れる、すすき
JLPT level: N2JōyōGrade 8

Meanings

  1. diluteRtK
    多くは濃縮液となっており、使用時に水を加えて薄める必要がある。Most of them are concentrated, so they have to be diluted with water when used in cooking.wiki
  2. thin
  3. weak
  4. faint
  1. to dilute
  2. to water down
  3. to thin
  4. to lighten (e.g. a color)
  5. to make less strong (e.g. flavor, depth, etc.)

Popular Usage

薄い薄暗い薄める

Radicals and components

Radical艸grass
Components
How it's built
薄
  • →
  • →
    • →
    • →
      • →
        • →
          • →
          • →
        • →

Mnemonic (RtK)

ⓘ

flowers (艹) · water (水) · water droplets (氵) · water pistol (氵) · acupuncturist · specialty · drop (丶) · ten (十) · needle (丨) · rice field (田) · brains · glue

From "Remembering the Kanji" by James Heisig · Frame 242

Compound words

薄いうすい
thin (of an object); pale; light; faint; watery
薄めるうすめる
to dilute; to water down; to thin; to lighten (e.g. a color); to make less strong (e.g. flavor, depth, etc.)
薄暗いうすぐらい
dim; gloomy
軽薄けいはく
frivolous; flippant; superficial; shallow; trifling
肉薄にくはく
closing in on (the enemy, first place, etc.); coming close to; pressing hard; pressing hard (e.g. with a question); taking to task
薄弱はくじゃく
feebleness; weakness
薄着うすぎ
being lightly dressed
希薄きはく
thin (air); weak (liquid); dilute; sparse (population); rarefied
手薄てうす
shorthanded; short of hands; undermanned; insufficient (stock, money, etc.); in short supply
薄らぐうすらぐ
to become thin; to fade; to grow pale
薄れるうすれる
to fade; to become dim
薄まるうすまる
to become weak
精神薄弱せいしんはくじゃく
feeble-mindedness; intellectual disability
稀薄きはく
thin (air)
極薄ごくうす
ultrathin
厚薄こうはく
thickness
精薄せいはく
feeble-mindedness
浅薄せんぱく
shallow
薄倖はっこう
unfortunate
薄紗はくさ
delicate gauze
薄手うすで
thin (material)
薄帛うすぎぬ
thin or light silk
薄靄うすもや
thin mist
犬薄荷いぬはっか
catnip (Nepeta cataria)

Additional Examples

彼は髪の毛が薄くなりかけてきた。
He is beginning to lose his hair.tatoeba
彼は主たる論点を明らかにすることに気乗り薄である。
He is not eager to unveil his main argument.tatoeba
彼はもっと薄い緑色が好きなのです。
He likes green in a lighter shade.tatoeba
彼の髪はますます薄くなった。
His hair got thinner and thinner.tatoeba
薄いピンク色である。
It dyes materials in light pink.wiki
多くは薄い形状をしている。
It often has a thin shape.wiki

Stroke Order

16 strokes

Practice Writing

Practice Writing 薄

Draw with a guide, then from memory — checked at every step