Mnemonic
A brutal storm crashes over you at sea. Waves slam you down again and again. You're too weak to keep your head above water—arms like noodles, lungs on fire. Helplessly, you drown, swallowed by the merciless ocean as the storm rages on.
Additional thoughts
Picture the storm churning black waves overhead while your weak, exhausted body sinks slowly beneath the surface. The combination of overwhelming external force (storm) and internal failure (weakness) makes drowning inevitable.Quick recall
A storm leaves you too weak to swim, so you drown.Details
The keyword for 溺 is drown. This kanji refers to the act of sinking beneath water and being unable to breathe, resulting in death or near-death by submersion. By extension, it also carries the figurative meaning of being excessively absorbed or indulged in something, as in being "drowned" in pleasure or desire. This sense of helpless immersion—whether literal or metaphorical—captures the core meaning of the character.
- On'yomi
- でき、じょう、にょう
- Kun'yomi
- いばり、おぼ.れる