漂 — “Drift / Float (on Liquid)” in Japanese

Master (高手)ひょう, ただよ

Radical ⽔ · radical 85 The building block this kanji is filed under

“Drift / Float (on Liquid)” in Japanese is 漂, read hyou, tadayo (ひょう, ただよ). It is a Jōyō kanji taught in Japanese secondary school (junior & senior high) — the 高手 · Master tier beyond the grade 1–6 Kyōiku set, and appears in words such as 漂流 (drifting).

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What does 漂 mean?

Full details, readings & example

Kanji	漂
Meaning	Drift / Float (on Liquid)
Readings	ひょう, ただよ
Grade	Master (高手 · secondary school)
Curriculum	Jōyō kanji · Japanese secondary school (JLPT N1–N2)
Example	漂流 (drifting)

How to read 漂

漂 is read hyou (ひょう) or tadayo (ただよ) depending on the word.

Words with 漂

漂流

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Kanji read the same way as 漂

Same sound, different character — the classic trap. Compare them side by side:

Updated: 2026-08-28