Mnemonic
A sudden storm has swollen the river, but there's no bridge — you must walk straight through it. You ford the rushing current step by step, rain pelting your face, each careful footfall fighting the surge pulling at your legs as you wade across.
Additional thoughts
Picture yourself mid-river in a downpour: the storm rages above, your legs walk through knee-deep water. Storm + Walk = fording a river. The combination captures both the hostile conditions and the determined movement through water.Quick recall
A storm rages as you walk through the swollen river to ford it.Details
The keyword for 渉 is ford. This kanji conveys the idea of wading across a body of water, specifically crossing a river at a shallow point where one can walk through. By extension, it carries the broader meaning of crossing over, navigating through difficulties, or being involved in negotiations and dealings. It suggests the act of making one's way through something step by step, much as one would carefully ford a stream.
- On'yomi
- しょう
- Kun'yomi
- わた.る