Back to dictionary
JLPT N17画 · 7 strokesradical 水freq #1385

drown, sink, hide, fall into

Also: disappear, die

On'yomi (音読み)

  • ボツ
  • モツ

Kun'yomi (訓読み)

  • おぼ.れる
  • しず.む
  • ない

Mnemonic

As the water (水) rises, it swallows a boat (没) that sinks and drowns beneath the waves, hiding it from view.

About this kanji

The kanji 没 (ぼつ) primarily means to drown, sink, or disappear. It is often used in verbs relating to these actions, though it can also be part of nouns. For example, 戦没 (せんぼつ) refers to death in battle, while 沈没 (ちんぼつ) means sinking, often used when discussing ships. 陥没 (かんぼつ) describes a cave-in, such as in construction. A notable usage note is that 没 can convey a sense of something being lost or hidden away, reflecting its broader meanings in various contexts. Overall, it is a useful kanji to understand both literal and metaphorical disappearances.

Example sentences

  • 古代の文化は歴史に没する。

    Ancient cultures fade into history.

Meanings across languages

English
drown, sink, hide, fall into, disappear, die
Tiếng Việt
chìm
日本語
한국어
빠지다
中文
id
menenggelamkan, tenggelam
th
จมน้ำ, จม
es
ahogar, hundir
fr
noyer, couler
de
ertrinken, versinken
pt
afogar, afundar

Common compounds

  • 陥没かんぼつcave-in, collapse, sinking
  • 戦没せんぼつdeath in battle, killed in action
  • 沈没ちんぼつsinking, foundering, going down
  • 日没にちぼつsunset
  • 没収ぼっしゅうseizure, confiscation, impounding
  • 没頭ぼっとうimmersing oneself in, being absorbed in, devoting oneself to
  • 没落ぼつらくruin, fall, collapse
  • 没後ぼつごafter death, posthumously

Want to actually learn this kanji?

The dictionary is one view. The Kanji 360 app wraps every character with mnemonic images, audio readings, stroke-order animation, story context, and SRS scheduling — free to start on iPhone, iPad, and Android.