さらう

• Kun’yomi
  • (Tokyo) さらう [sàráú] (Heiban – [0])[1]
  • IPA^(key): [sa̠ɾa̠ɯ̟ᵝ]

/sarafu/ → /sarau/

A surface analysis suggests a derivation from さら (sara) + ふ (fu, classical auxiliary indicating repeated or ongoing action or state).

The さら (sara) portion appears to be cognate with the sara in さらり (sarari, “smoothly; cleanly, clearly”) and さらさら (sarasara, “smoothly; agreeably; easily, without hindrance”), in turn probably cognate with 更 (sara, “unused, new, pure; natural consequence; obvious outcome; completely, wholly”).

Dated from at least the Kamakura period, when the term appears in the 名語記 (Myōgoki, literally “name-word record”), a ten-volume dictionary completed in 1269 CE.[2]

さらう (godan conjugation, rōmaji sarau)

1. 浚う, 渫う: to clear out, to clean out:
   1. to sweep away completely, to clear away completely, to clean completely

Said especially of clearing the bottom of a body of water or channel of muck, leaves, sand, or other debris.

• 雨 (あま)樋 (どい)を浚 (さら)う

  amadoi o sarau

  to clear out a rain gutter or downspout

May also be used for containers.

• 釜 (かま)の中 (なか)を浚 (さら)う

  kama no naka o sarau

  to completely clean the inside of a pot

• 浚 (さら)える, 攫 (さら)える (saraeru) (of same meaning as sarau above)

Cognate with and apparent extension of the clear out sense above.[2]

• The carry off sense appears in Murakami Seijin's (村上静人) 1916 book 恩愛二葉草 (On'ai Futabagusa, literally “Affection Violets”).[2]
• The monopolize sense appears in Kobayashi Issa's (小林一茶) diary 八番日記 (Hachiman Nikki, literally “Hachiman Diary”), completed in 1821.[2]
• The shave sense appears in Shinro Tei's (振鷺亭) 1790 work 格子戯語 (Kōshi Kego, literally “Lattice Satire”).

さらう (godan conjugation, rōmaji sarau)

1. 攫う, 掠う: as an extension of the completely clear away sense of sarau above:
   1. to carry someone or something off, to snatch away someone or something, to abduct someone suddenly (with the end result often that the person or thing's whereabouts are unknown)

      波 (は)浪 (ろう)に足 (あし)を攫 (さら)われる、鞄 (かばん)を攫 (さら)う、セーフのお金 (かね)を攫 (さら)う

      harō ni ashi o sarawareru, kaban o sarau, sēfu no okane o sarau

      to have one's feet swept away by a surge, to snatch a satchel, to clear out money from a safe

   2. (figuratively) to monopolize something for oneself, to take over completely, to take something and leave nothing left

      劇 (げき)場 (じょう)で一 (いち)座 (ざ)の人 (にん)気 (き)を攫 (さら)う、試 (し)合 (あい)で全 (ぜん)勝 (しょう)を攫 (さら)う

      gekijō de ichiza no ninki o sarau, shiai de zenshō o sarau

      to completely monopolize popular attention at the theatre, to walk away with a clean sweep of wins at a match

   3. (rare, possibly obsolete) to shave cleanly

      Synonym: 剃る (soru)

Cognate with and apparent extension of the clear out sense above.[2]

The derived form saraeru is first cited in Ihara Saikaku's (井原西鶴) 1692 novel 世間胸算用 (Seken Munesan'yō, “People's Reckonings”).[2]

The spelling is an example of jukujikun (熟字訓), borrowed from the Sino-Japanese term 復習 (fukushū, “a review; to review”).

さらう (godan conjugation, rōmaji sarau)

1. 復習う: to review or practice something fully and completely

   江 (え)戸 (ど)状 (じょう)どもをさらへ失 (しつ)念 (ねん)したる事 (こと)どもを見 (み)出 (いだ)し主 (しゅ)人 (じん)の徳 (とく)のゆく事 (こと)有 (あり)

   Edo-jō domo o sarafe shitsunen shitaru koto domo o miidashi shujin no toku no yuku koto ari

   Fully reviewing all of the branch reports from Edo, and picking out all of the ones that might be forgotten, was advantageous to the master[3]