Harrowing scenes from Ukraine continue to make headlines as Russia shows no signs of stopping its march into the independent nation. That has meant a lot of coverage on the news and a lot of new vocabulary.
The first kanji you might be noticing more is 露 (tsuyu/ro/rō). The character represents “dew,” “tears” and “exposure,” and you may have seen it in words like 露見 (roken, discovery [of a plot/misdeed]) or 披露宴 (hirōen, reception [for weddings]). However, this kanji also represents “Russia.”
Take a look at this headline from the Sankei Shimbun: 露の「非友好国」指定に日本抗議 (Ro[shia] no “hiyūkō koku” shitei ni Nihon kōgi, Japan protests “unfriendly country” designation by Russia). By using the 露 kanji on its own, rather than spelling out ロシア (Roshia, Russia), the headline writer saves space.
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