硫黄

Etymology 1
→ →  →  →  →

Originally a compound of 🇰🇲, from the way that volcanic hot springs would often be accompanied by bubbles of sulfur gas.

The kanji spelling is an example of, from.

An alternative theory is that the character developed an on'yomi of yu instead of the usual goon of ru or kan'on of ryū, such that the reading is on'yomi. However, given that this particular sound shift is not found in other kanji readings, this derivation seems unlikely.

This is the most common reading for this term in modern Japanese.

Noun

 * 1) sulfur

Derived terms

 * : flowers of sulfur
 * : sulfur mine
 * : sulfur spring
 * : sulfur oxide
 * : sulfur chloride
 * : sulfur trioxide
 * : lime sulphur
 * : sulfur dioxide

Etymology 2
→ →  →  →

Other than the difference in phonetic shifts, the derivation is the same as for iō above.

This reading is rare, and possibly archaic.

Noun

 * 1)  sulfur