渣

dregs

渣 is composed of the radical 水 (water) and 查 (check). 水 is a pictograph of a river, while the original meaning of 查 is a wooden fence or floating barrier. Thus, 渣 conveys the concept of setting up a barrier on a river to filter out unwanted debris, which extended to mean dregs, sediment, or residue.

Vocabulary of 渣

  • 人渣 (dregs of society)
  • 豆渣 (soya bean dregs)
  • 蔗渣 (bagasse)

Related Characters: