塞ぐ
ふさぐ · fusagu · JLPT N2 · verb-godan
to block
🧻🚧 Sounds like fusa (房, a tuft): stuff a gap with a tuft to block it up
The kanji 塞 contains 土 (earth), which fits packing material into an opening. Use 塞ぐ for plugging a hole, blocking a road, or stopping your ears.
塞 — roof 宀 + 共 (hands) over 土 + 土
Originally depicted hands stuffing material between bricks under a roof to block gaps, giving the core sense 'to stop up' or 'block.' From this came extended meanings like 'frontier pass' or 'stronghold' (a blocked, fortified place), read sài. The reading sè keeps the verbal sense 'to fill in, plug.'