Meaning & readings

shop, store, pave

On’yomi ホ
Nanori き

Origin

This character combines the idea of "use" (用) with a marker indicating material or surface. The character appears to show something spread out or laid down for use—which connects to both meanings: a shop is a place set up and arranged for doing business, while paving involves laying down materials to create a usable surface. The visual structure suggests preparation and arrangement of a space or material for practical purposes.

舗 15 strokes

Components

  • 用 meaning part
  • 丶 meaning part

Common words

  • 店舗 てんぽ shop; store
  • 舗装 ほそう paving (a road); surfacing (with asphalt, concrete, etc.)
  • 老舗 しにせ long-established shop; shop of long standing

Reference

Strokes
15
Kangxi radical
9
Formation type
Compound ideographic (combined meanings)
Grade
Jōyō (secondary school)
Frequency rank
#1412 (newspapers)
Former JLPT
level 1
Unicode
U+08217