露
lù · HSK 6
appear
💧 rain (雨) on the road (路 lù) = dew that reveals what was hidden
Dew appears overnight without warning, exposing every surface. From morning dew the meaning extended to expose, reveal, and betray — secrets come to light like droplets on a leaf.
露 — rain 雨 (top) + road 路 (bottom, phonetic)
露 combines 雨 'rain' as the meaning component with 路 'road' as the phonetic. It originally referred to dew — the moisture that settles overnight on outdoor paths. From there it extended to 'expose' or 'reveal,' since dew lies open on surfaces.