Mnemonic
You fell a tree and use the whole thing — trunk, roots, and all — as a giant plug. You ram that whole tree into the mouth of the flooding drain pipe. It fits perfectly, sealing the passage. Not a single drop escapes past your mighty plug.
Additional thoughts
Picture an entire unsplit tree being used as one enormous cork. The wholeness of it is what makes the seal tight — nothing was carved away. Tree + Whole = a complete, uncut stopper.Quick recall
A whole tree rammed into a pipe becomes a perfect plug.Details
The keyword for 栓 is plug. This kanji refers to a stopper or plug used to seal an opening, such as a cork in a bottle or a stopper in a drain. It conveys the idea of blocking or closing off a passage to prevent the flow of liquid or gas. By extension, it can also refer to bolts or pins that secure something in place.
- On'yomi
- せん