#make request to

[kanji-a-day]

1172/2000

JLPT: N2

School Grade: Junior high school

This character was formerly written 賴, a combination of 剌 a non-general use character meaning “be opposed,” and 貝 shell/money. Here 貝 means “money” and 剌 is a phonetic element that also works to express “profit.” Together they give “profit financially.” Later it was borrowed to express “entreat,” leading to the meanings of “request” and “rely.”