What is the meaning and reading of the kanji "渋"?

The kanji "渋" belongs to JLPT N1 and means "Tart, Astringent, Reluctant, Congested". Its Onyomi is "ジュウ (juu)" and Kunyomi is "しぶ (shibu), しぶ-い (shibu-i), しぶ-る (shibu-ru)".

JLPT N1

渋

Tart, Astringent, Reluctant, Congested

Q: Is there a memory mnemonic for "渋"?

Yes! Radical breakdown: "氵 (water) + 歩 (walk/step)". Mnemonic Story: "Imagine trying to **walk** (歩) through a river of incredibly thick **water** (氵), almost like wading through quicksand or a river completely choked with logs. It's so **congested** and difficult that you feel a sense of **reluctance** and everything seems slow and **astringent**."

Onyomi

ジュウ (juu)

Kunyomi

しぶ (shibu), しぶ-い (shibu-i), しぶ-る (shibu-ru)

🧠 Memory Mnemonic

🔍 Radical Breakdown

氵 (water) + 歩 (walk/step)

📖 Mnemonic Story

Imagine trying to **walk** (歩) through a river of incredibly thick **water** (氵), almost like wading through quicksand or a river completely choked with logs. It's so **congested** and difficult that you feel a sense of **reluctance** and everything seems slow and **astringent**.

💡 Quick Hint: Water hard walk

Essential N1 Vocabulary

渋い

しぶい

Astringent, Subdued, Chic

渋滞

じゅうたい

Traffic jam, Congestion

難渋

なんじゅう

Difficulty, Hardship

Kanji Practice Quiz

Verify your memory for "渋"

このお茶は少し＿＿＿＿＿。

🎉 正解 / Correct!

解説: 渋いは「しぶい」と読みます。
English: Astringent (tea) is read as 'shibui'.

🦅

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