wither

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 枯 has 9 strokes and describes plants withering or water and vitality running out.
• Basic usage: 枯れる is read かれる, and 枯らす is read からす.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• What withers and what causes it
  • 花が枯れる describes a flower withering, while 鉢植えを枯らしてしまった means having ended up causing a potted plant to wither.
• Draining motivation
  • 創作意欲を枯らす means draining creative motivation. The verb also applies to vitality being lost beyond plants.