麻
マ, マア, あさ, あ, あざ, お

hemp, flax

JLPT1 G7 S11 F1142

The relevant seal inscription form is 广 building + ?# two stalks of hemp, the fiber of which is concealed within the plant → rub and scrape *hemp* indoors → *linen*; *flax*. The ?form replaced by 林 in 麻, 摩, 磨 and 魔 is retained in other derivative characters such as 痲, 糜, 靡 and 麼.

[Full Kanji Etymology List]