干す
ほす · hosu · JLPT N2 · verb-godan
to dry
👕 干す = make dry: 干る (to dry up) + causative -す; drink a cup dry = 干す
Hang laundry out to dry: 洗濯物を干す. Drink a glass to the last drop: 杯を干す, since the glass is left dry.
干 — pictograph of a forked weapon/shield
干 originally depicted a forked wooden weapon or shield used in ancient warfare, giving the early sense of 'to offend' or 'to oppose.' Over time it took on extended meanings like 'to concern' and 'trunk/stem.' In modern simplified Chinese it also absorbed 乾 (dry) and 幹 (to do; trunk), so one character now covers several unrelated words.