The Kanji: 氾 (Han)
The kanji 氾 (read as han) carries the core meaning of "to overflow," "to flood," or "to spread everywhere." It is composed of the water radical (氵) on the left and 㔾 on the right, which can represent something bending or turning. This structure visually depicts water turning and breaking its boundaries, leading to a widespread flood.
Common Words & Example Sentences
1. 氾濫 (hanran)
Meaning: Flooding; inundation; overflow (of a river). This is the most common and important word featuring this kanji.
Example Sentence: 川が氾濫して町が水に浸かった。
(Kawa ga hanran shite machi ga mizu ni tsukatta.)
"The river flooded, and the town was submerged."
2. 氾愛 (han'ai) - Literary
Meaning: Universal love; love for all.
Example Sentence: 氾愛の精神を大切にする。
(Han'ai no seishin o taisetsu ni suru.)
"To cherish the spirit of universal love."
3. 氾濫原 (hanrangen)
Meaning: Floodplain.
Example Sentence: その地域は氾濫原なので、開発が制限されている。
(Sono chiiki wa hanrangen na node, kaihatsu ga seigen sarete iru.)
"Since the area is a floodplain, development is restricted."
In summary, 氾 is a powerful kanji representing the uncontrolled spread of water, primarily used in the word 氾濫 (flooding). It can also be applied metaphorically to describe anything that spreads widely, such as emotions or ideas (氾愛).