SHI STOP!

tomaru, tomeru

! PICTOGRAPHIX
VER 1,000 JAPANESE KANJI AND KANA MNEMONICS
Michael Rowley
 KAN J 1

PICTOGRAPH IX
 To Hyang
l'II never forget

1f-
. ..
OVER 1,000 JAPANESE KANJI AND KANA MNEM0NICS
Michael Rowley

Stone Bridge Press

Berkeley, California
 --
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
My wife, Kang Hyang Kil, has helped me with every facet of this book for the past three years; giving insights
into meaning of characters, critiquing my drawings and page designs, and constructing layouts on the
computer. 1 dedcate this book to her for all her sacrifices and inspiration. I' d also like to thank my brother
Chris Rowley for helping put the manuscript on disk, my parents for their help and encouragement, and my
publisher, Peter Goodmon, for his patience and skill.-M.R.

Kanji definitions are taken from A Guide to Remembering Japanese Characfers by Kenneth G. Henshall
(Tokyo, Japan, and Rutland, Vermont: Charles E. Tuttle Co., lnc., 1988) with permission of the publisher.

This book was produced on an Apple Macintosh II computer. lllustrations were drawn by hand, scanned into
the computer, ond redrawn using Adobe lllustrator, Streamline, and Photoshop. The pages, including the text
and illustrations, were laid out in Adobe lllustrator and then imported into OuorkXPress. QuarkXPress wos also
used for the front- and backmatter. Macrons and underlines for the Roman characters were made with Altsys
Fontographer. The kanji were set on a Toshiba Dynabook laptop computer and output on a Compugraphic
phototypesetter in Tokyo, ond were placed both electronically in OuarkXPress and by hand. Final output was
done on a Linotronic 330.

Book design by Michael Rowley, Eye Cue Design. Librory of Congress Catologing-in-Publicotion Doto
Rowley, Michael.
Copyright 1992 Michael Rowley. Kani pict-o-grophix: ver 1,000 Jopanese kanji and
AII rights reserved. kono mnemonics / Michael Rowley.
p. cm.
25 24 23 22 lncludes index.
ISBN 978-0-9628137-0-2
No part of this book moy be reproduced in ony form
1. Chinese charocters-Jopan-Glossaries, vocab
without written permission from the publisher.
ulories, etc. 2. Japanese language---Glossories, vocab
Published by STONE BRIDGE PRESS, P.O. Box 8208, ularies, etc. l. Tille.
Berkeley, CA 94707. PL677.6.R69 1991
495.6'82421---<lc20 91-23153
Printed in the United States of Americo. CIP

-
1

Contents
INTRODUC110N 7 Horse .......................................................... 60
Bugs .............................................................62
KANA .................... 11 Snakes & Birds ............................................. 63
Plumage ...................................................... 64
CHAPTER 1 : WORLD 17 Heron ......................................................... 66
The Sun ....................................................... 18 Dog ............................................................ 67
The Moon .................................................... 19 Forest Animals ............................................. 68
The Doy ...................................................... 20 Sea Creotures .............................................. 70
Time ........................................................... 22
Wind, Rain, & Clouds ................................... 24 CHAPTER 4: PEOPLE ................................ 71
Water ......................................................... 26 People ........................................................ 72
Wash ......................................................... 28 Person ......................................................... 76
Fire ............................................................. 30 Populace ..................................................... 77
Ice .............................................................. 31 People' s Burdens .......................................... .78
Soil ............................................................. 32 Woman & Man ......... .. ................ ................ 80
Metal .......................................................... 33 Marriage ..................................................... 82
Bamboo & Grass .......................................... 34 Family ......................................................... 84
Trees ........................................................... 36 Self ............................................................. 86
Timber ........................................................ 40
Mountains & Valleys ..................................... 42 CHAPTER 5: BODY ................................... 87
Stones ......................................................... 44 Body ........................................................... 88
Cave .......................................................... 46 Ffesh & Bone ................................................ 90
Skin ............................................................ 92
CHAPTER 2: FOOD 47 Tooth, Fang, & Claw .................................... 93
Field & Plan! ................., ............................... 48 Heart .......................................................... 94
Rice ............................................................. 50 Love ............................................................ 96
Eat .............................................................. 52 Hale ........................................................... 97
Wine .......................................................... 54 Head, Neck, & Hair ..................................... 98
Troy ............................................................ 55 Eye ........................................................... 100
Mea! ........................................................... 56 Ear ............................................................ 101
Mouth ....................................................... 102
CHAPTER 3: ANIMA.LS 57 Hand ........................................................ 104
Cow, Pig, & Sheep ....................................... 58 Hold .......................................................... 107
....
CONTENTS
Reach ........................................................ 100
Give .......................................................... 109
Leg ........................................................... 110
Stand ........................................................ 112
CHAPTER 6: SPIRIT................................. 113
Spirit ..........................................................114
Pain .......................................................... 116
Dead Bodies .............................................. 118
Past ........................................................... 120
Temple ...................................................... 122
Shrine ....................................................... 123
Religion ..................................................... 124
CHAPTER 7: POWER ............................... 125
Money ........................................................126
Wealth ...................................................... 128
Master ....................................................... 130
King .......................................................... 131
Power ........................................................ 132
Soldier ...................................................... 133
(Never Budge an) lnch ................................ 134
Enclosed .................................................... 136
Attack ........................................................ 138
Strike with a Stick ........................................140
Bow & Arrow ......... :. ................................. 142
CHAPTER 8: L A E RN ................................ 143
Learn ......................................................... 1.44
Speak ........................................................ 146
Read ......................................................... 1.48
The Arts ....... ....... .... ................. .......... ....... . 150
Measure .................................................... 152
Numbers ................................................... 154
Sizes ......................................................... 156
Colors ....................................................... 158
Positions .................................................... 160
6
Oppose ..................................................... 162
CHAPl'ER 9: TOOLS ................................ 163
Thread ....................................................... 164
Baskets ... . ......... . ........... .. . .... .. .... ............ .... 168
Needles ..................................................... 169
Cloth ......................................................... 110
Knife ......................................................... 172
Equipment .................................................. 174
Brooms ...................................................... 175
Build ......................................................... 176
Ax ............................................................ 178
CHAPTER 1 O: PLACES ............................. 179
Places ........................................................ 180
Village ...................................................... 182
Hill ............................................................ 183
Gate ......................................................... 184
Door ......................................................... 186
Building & Roof .......................................... 188
Shelter .. . ....... ......................... .... .... ........... . 190
CHAPTER 11: JOURNEY ......................... 191
Move ..................................... :...... :........... 192
Escape ...................................................... 194
Boat ........................................................... 196
Cart ......................................................... 197
Road ......................................................... 198
Crash! ....................................................... 199
Stop .......................................................... 200
... & Start Again. ......................................... 201
Come ........................................................ 202
NOTES .................................................... 203
INDEX 207
-------------------------------------------7

lntroduction
How do you study the written Japanese characters Symbols use logical designs to indicole
known as konji? lf you are a child in o Jopanese more abstract notions:
school, you write each kanji hundreds of times at
your desk. After a while, by sheer persistence, it J:.
over 942 vnder 943 middle 950
sticks in your memory. lf you are not a Japonesa
schoolchild, you probably do what I did. You stare ldeographs put two pictographs or
at each konji and make up a story in your heod that symbols together to create o related idea:

you can mentally "attach" to the kanji to help you
recall its meoning when you meet it ogoin in the
futura. This kind of mentol memory oid is colled a
"mnemonic" device. In this book I provide mnemonic
devices in the form of text ond pictures for over
1,000 kanji, or about half of all the kanji in genera'I
use in Jopanese newspapers ond other printed
material.
Kanji developed from piclures used by the
Chinase several thousand yeors ego to represen! the
world oround them. Sorne types of kanji hove
retoined their pictographic forms and look very much
like the objects they represen!. The group of kanji
colled pictographs are stylized representations of
B
+
svn 1 moon 14 bright 8
The above three types of kanji ore foirly
easy to remember. The group of kanji called
phono-ideographs, however, are more chal
lenging. These konji combine an element that gives a
clue to pronunciotion with an element that hinls al
the "subject matter" of the kanji. Most konji
perhaps 80%-foll into this category. The theme
element, colled a radical, may itself be a stand-olone
kanji or sorne graphic variont of one. TREE 126, for
example, is a character by itself. Used as a radical it
usually indicates something m ade of wood or

*
actual physical objects: relating to trees:

J 11
river 55
LlJ
movntain 167 gafe 1101 tree 126 willow 128 timber 152

7
 INTRODUCTION
The r i g ht-hand elements here give a clue to
pronunciation. The problem is thot they may hove
little or nothing to do with the choracter's meoning.
This makes creating a mnemonic for them much more
difficult. But even pictogrophic forms hove often been
simplified ond stylized over the centuries. The kanji
STOP 1205, for inslance, has changed greatly from its
original depiclion of a footprint:
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
The organization of this book differs from thot used
in mosl kanji-learning books for Westerners, where
choraclers appear in order of frequency or in the
order used in Japanese schools. Since the whole
point of mnemonics is lo creole associotions, 1 hove
grouped my konji thematically with their cousins ond
neor cousins in sound, meaning, or oppearonce.
There is no formol pedagogical basis for my
organizotion. My goal was simply to discover
graphic and mnemonic offinities, thus bringing kanji
together that ore normally very distan! from eoch
other in dictionaries as well os people's minds.
My konji selections do include severol that
are nol on the lisl of kanji approved for general use
8
by the Joponese Ministry of Education. They ore here
because they were visuolly interesting to me. By the
same token, several common kanji hove been
excluded because frankly I couldn't come up with a
sotisfoctory vi sual ar textual mnemonic. For a
comprehensive, graduated course in kanji, see
Kenneth G. Henshall's very fine book, A Guide to
Remembering Jopanese Characters (Charles E. Tuttle,
1988). 1 hove relied heavily on Henshall's boak,
which was especially useful for its kanji definitions
and ils descriptions of konji elements ond origins. For
simplicity and economy of space, 1 hove occosionafly
made modificotions to Mr. Henshall's listings.
You moy find it eosier to learn the complex
konji if you begin with the stand-alone choracters
and the other elements used os rodicols. Many of
these basic kanji and kanji elements are presented
here alongside the large-formot illustrotions. Flip
through the book and concentrate on these char
acters first.
The smaller entries on e och two-poge
spread often i ncorporate the bosic elements
presented in the large-format illustrolions. A few
chorocter entries appear without on illustrotion.
lllustrations of the elements that appeor in these
choroclers con be found using the schemotics ond
cross-reference numbers at the bottom of eoch entry.
 INTRODUCTION

GUIDE TO THE ENTRIES associalion with the visual mnemonic more clear.
The standard kanji entries in this book include the This form is common ly encoun lered in printed
following information: materiols. (Kanji written by hand sometimes look

1-1 DAMP, MOIST, HUMID 61-2

very different from their typographic forms.)
4. On (borrowed Chinese) reading.

)foJ mi
-6 Alwoys in upper case. These pronunciations (on
yoml derive from those used in China when the

4 SHITSU
kanji was first brought to Jopan. The Japanese

'\)
shime!!i./
5 adapted the Chinese sounds to ther own speech.
The sorne character may hove been imported severa!
7- The sun evaporates water, moking
times each time with a different reading, thus
the air humid. -----10

8 - 13 water 66 111 sun 1 fi wet n--<1 -11
9__/
1. Meaning in Engli sh. For the most
port the kanji definitions are drawn from Hensholl'
book. Definitions that treat the whole kanji as a
semantic form are somewhot mis leading and
imprecise, however. The meaning of ony kanji is
best gleaned from the many words it is used lo
represen!. When the enlry kanj is used in Japanese
only as an element within other kanj, the definilion
is enclosed in quotaton marks.
2. Reference number. A sequence
number used in the index and in kanji c ross
references.
3. Kanii character. A ploin typeset form
wos selected for each entry charocter to make the
producing the multiple readings in use today.
5. Kun (Japanese) reading. Always in
lower c ase. These pronuncations (kun-yomi)
represen! native Japanese words "ftted" to the
imported kanji. Most Japanese verbs and odjectives
are kun reodings. Underlined letters represen! verbal
or adjectival inflections thot are not a par! of the
konji's actual reading.
6. Visual mnemonic. 1 hove token many
liberties in creoting the pictures that go with the
kan ji. Sometimes I hove tried to preserve the
hislorical etymology of the choracter; elsewhere 1
hove abandoned t in favor of something that, to my
eyes, made more sense. 1 usually used the identical
drowing to represen! the sorne kanj element in
different visual mnemonics, but nol olways. 1 hove,

9

INTRODUCTION
for example, token creative license with the element
MOUTH 566 (also u sed to express opening," or
II
"enclosed"), drawing it instead os a tomato in
CULTIVATE 246 and a box in DOUBLE 631. 1 hove also
D element in the entry kanji. 1 hove tried to use the
mouth 566 cultiva/e 246
willfully visually "confused" certain elements thot
Japanese teachers ore always insisting must never be
confused. One example: the interchanging of SOIL
101 and WARRIOR 753. The schematic of elements (see
number 8, below) identifies. the correct form.
soi/ 101
warror 753
7. Text mnemonic. Keyed to the visual
mnemonic. The keywords are in boldface type.
8. Schematic of elements. Each box
indicates the position of one of the main elements in
the kanji. The element may be a radical, or it may
be another kanji (if i.t is another kanji, its shape as
an element may be compressed or slightly altered).
The schematic boxes are not used when the entry
kanji is a stand-olone kanji or is a radical or element
with no other use except as o combining form. And
again, sometimes I hove had to concoct and
interpret elements when none, according to Henshall
10
7.
and others, moy actually exist. While the schematic
of elements is a helpful reference a_id, keep in mind
that it is a guideline only.
9. Element meaning. Refers to the first
definition given for the kanji or radical used os an
double 631
meaning of the element in the visual and text
mnemonics.
1O. Cross-reference number. Refers to
the sequentiol reference number of the element used
in the entry kanji.
11. Notes reference number. Sorne
characters hove elements whose meanings are
archaic or tho t correspond to no stand-alone
character or radical in Japanese, such os the right
side of PLACE 28. Other choracters, like cocooN 307,
are too complex graphically to describe with a
simple schematic:
place 28 cocoon 307
Comments on such complex elements appear in a
numbered Notes section al the back of the book.
These comments are referenced by "n--000" instead
of a cross-reference number. Again, much of the
information here derives from H en shall' s book,
which describes the kanji elements in detail.
 THE SYLLABARIES

In addition to kanji, Japonese uses two pho

netic syllabories, hiragano and katakana.
Each syllabary of forty-six characters repre
sents the sorne sounds. The cursive hiragana
are used to write words not normally written
in kanji ond for verb endings and parts
of speech. The angular katokona are used
for emphasis and to write words and names
not of Japonese or Chinese origin.

GOODBYE
1
sa mo

d:: yo
? ku

(u) do

tJ:. no
-- no

0 ra
) ru

do

(hiragono} (katakano}
 A-KA HI. RAGANA K ATAK AN A

A
1 KA
1 1


7 7),

tJ
Ahl I see the letter "A". Ahl I see the letter "A". Cut the sousage. Cut the sausage.

1 1

1

KI

lv \
Hawaii.
1 1 1 Eat with chopsticks.

Key.

:\=--
Key.

-
<
u 1 KU

? 7 ?
Uhhl Uhhl Koo-koo bird. Cocoon.

,.
E
.. ..
KE
1
A.
.I (t @ 'r
Exotic bird. Elevator doors. Keg. A tilted letter "K".

o 1
- KO
1


Olive.

F
On and Off Switch.
L.
Coin.
@ ::J
:J
A street comer.

12

l
- HIRAGANA KATAKAN A SA-TA

+; ta
[ SA 1 TA

d -ft te. !y 6'

Sob. Sod. ta Tomahawk.

[ SHI 1 CHI
'
L
-5
T
She has flowing hair. She has a funny smile. MAACHIOOOO! Cheer.

su TSU
[

9 ti A '}
/,
?
''J
Soon the sproul wi II bloom. Suit hanger. lt's a snake. Balls and bats.

1 1
-

TE

-e
SE

-tt
Say.
-t!
Say.
1,rr;
Ten.
T 1'
Telephone pole.

e
so 1 TO

Sew a zigzag slitch.
') \J
Sew a stitch.

A thorn in my toe.

ti
The "t" in toe.

13
 NA-HA HIRAGANA KATAKANA

NA
1 HA

t (1 J\
...._\//

Knot. Knot. Ha, ha, ha. Break it in half.

NI 1 HI 1
( (=I
Knee.
-
Two needles.
V'
Hee, hee, hee.
t::
He's sitting down.

-
NU 1
'
FU

--' ,C., 7 ?
Noodle held by chopsticks. Violence is in the news. Who? Who?

"o "
1 .1

q
NE HE

tcl
Neta big fish. . 1 never go to church. This way to heaven. This way to heaven.

*
NO
1 1

Id
HO

(1) @) J @) (i
NO Smoking. NO Smoking. Half a whole note. Holy cross.

--
14
 HIRAGANA K ATAK A N A MA-YA

YA
[ MA

A baby cries,"Mama." Mama's breast. Yak. Yak.

[ MI YU 1
r.iFf)
9
Me, l'm 21. Do, re, mi.
}
T rying to make a U-turn.
.:J..
You are number one.

MU
1 YO
1
3
A cow says, "Moo." A cow says, "Moo." Yo-yo. Yodel.

ME
1 ya
11 yu 11
----
yo I These kana wr iffen sma/1
turn lci, shi, chi, ni, hi,
mi, ri, into lcya, sha,
cha, nya, hya, mya,
rya; lcyu, shu, chu,
nyu, hyu, myu, ryu;
and lcyo, sho, cho,
Me is Japanese for "eye." Mexico. Yak. U-turn. Yo-yo. nyo, hyo, myo, ryo.

MO i DOUBLERS I The kana U is

used to double
1 DOUBLERS I Certain con
sonanfs are
the O and U doubled when
vowel sounds ,"""\ preceded by a
of other kana: -' smaller, silent
ko+ ka, kv+ tsu, as in:
e! -:, L

k, etc.
Catch mo' fish with this. Catch mo' fish with this. zosshi

15
 RA-WA-O-N HIRAGANA KATAKA N A

1 1
- 1
RA WA

Roger the rabbit.
7 rJ
Rocket. Wasp. Wow, his head'.s knocked off!

u 11
RI
1 (W)O

Reeds.
C<- :>:)
IJ
11
Reeds.
C<- :>:;>
The cowboy said, "Whoa."
7
An arrow head.

RU N

) 1v
Three rubes. Leg and tail of kangaroo. The sound of "n". Nicks and cuis.

n fJ
1 1

L
RE
1 NONVO/CED SOUNDS This mark changes the

V
pronunciatons of ha, hi,
fu, he, and ho to popping
sounds: po, pi, pu, pe,
and po.
(J

Rain and lightning. Rain shoe. (Soda) pop sound.

RO
1 1

3
VOICED SOUNDS This mark changes the
--------- pronunciations of al/ the

D
kana in the series begn
1 ning ka, sa, ta, and ha to
vibrating sounds: ga, za,
da, and&o.
1
Three rubies rolled away. Rotate a nut. Vocal cord vibrations.

16
-
K ANJ I COMPOUNDS

Each kanji has meaning by itself. Kanji

also can be combined in kanji compounds,
or ukugo, to form new meanings, much
as root words, prefixes, and suffixes are
combined in English. The compound
meaning "world," shown al right, is
composed of SE 1081, meaning WORLD, and
A
K I
203, meaning BOUNDARY. Other com
binations include:

* -
JAPAN
1 FEBRUARY

BNI HON NI

GATU
S
sun 1 origin 125 two B98 month 14

FOREIGNER
1 EXIT
1
9}.A.
GAi JIN
tl1 D
de guchi
oulside 13 person 363 emerge 955 opening 566

*
STUDENT
1 LETTER

GAKU SEi te gami
study B39 gain 214 hand 579 paper 974
1-7 WORLD

1 PROSPEROUS, GOOD, CLEAR j REFLECT, SHINE

The s
E3

Sun
SHO El
utsu!:!,!/!\!., haeru

As clear os o doy with two suns. The sun shines outward frorn
its center.
sun 1 liiiil sun 1 IJ sun 1 [I cantar 955

1 DAMP, MOIST, HUMID

1._c_ R _vs_r_A _L,_c _LE_AR_ ,_B_RI_G_H _T ___
31

SHO SHITSU
shime.[!!/

As bright as a doy with three suns. The sun evaporates water, rnaking
the air humid.
sun 1 li3 sun 1 i:- sun 1 11 water 66 111 sun 1 [i wel n-o

B 1 SUN, DAY
NICHI, JITSU
hi, -ka
j CLEAR, B RIGHT IWARM

:s
The sun rises each day.
l.llll.
KO ON
atatakai/

The sun anda candle shine clear The sun warms waterin a troy.
andbright light.
sun 1 shine 869 ll water 66 111 sun 1 [i dish 265

18
-- ----------------------------------------------,
THE SUN / THE MOON 8- 14

@EAR, BRIGHT i EVENING

The
Moon
MEI, MYO SEKI
oka!,!!!, akeru y

As bright as the sun and moon In the evening, the moon rises ...
to gether.
[] sun 1 [I moon 14

(MORNING, COURT INIGHT

CHO YA
asa yo, yoru

The moming is shared by the sun ... making a nice view at night.
and the moon.
[] rise n--9 [] moon 14 1!! shelter 1147 li3 person 362 6i evening 11

1 DARK, GLOOMY i OUTSIDE, OTHER, UNDO IMOON

GATSU, GETSU
tsuki
A crescent moon in the clouds.

AN GAt,GE
kurai soto, hoka, hazuiJ!

Gloomy people see the dark He wenl outside and undid his
shadow instead of the sun. pants when nalure called.
ll sun 1 []!! stand 627 sun 1 [] evening 11 [J crack n-t 3

19
15 -20 WORLD

The Doy
1 M ORNING, DA WN 1 DAY OF THE WEEK 1a)

TAN YO

The days of the week

fly by.
from dawn . . . IJ sun 1 [J winged bird n-1a

sun 1 iiiil one 897

1 NOON, DAYTIM E

CH
hiru

... til noon, we measure the land.

D measure 884 lil dawn 15

1 EVENING, LATE ._I e_A_R_Lv_,_PR_o_ M_P_T_, F_A_s____

T 19_l I DAWN, LIGHT, EVENT

SO GYO
,'ff,,,,,f'Jmrrrr
BAN
hayai
-..'hA akatsuki

We can only escape the sun's heat The sun rises through the grass Three stars were seen at dawn.
in late evening. early in the morning.
IJ sun 1 [J escape 1167 sun 1 iiiil grass n-19 I] sun 1 (1 clear n-20

20
 THE DAY 2\ -29

l i.;;@;;,:: D
,;. ,;.ST_______2_.
L ,PA 1 1 1 BRIGHT, LIGHT 1 SUNNY, MALE, POSITIVE

IB KY SHO YO
hi

18 One doy is past ... The bright light of the sun glints off On the sunny side of the hill ...
the sword.
1) high n-21 (1 sun 1 13 sun 1 sword 1023 [lil opening S6 sun 1 [lil rays n-26

[CHILD l tLLUMINATE, SHINE 1 PLACE

B
,,,,
JI, NI SHO JO
ko te!]l/rasu ba

... ond one more child is born. The sword is illuminated by the .. . is o place in the soil ...
sun obove ond fire below.
l'!"I post 21 kneeling n-22 bright 24 fire 82 1B soil 102 sun 1 [lil rays n-26

1 1 HOT WATER, HOT SPRING

EKI, 1 YO TO
yasui, yosashii aSfil!! / yu
9.Qn!

Life is easy in the sunshine. Raise your hand in the frying ... where hot water springs up.
hot sun.
l'!"I sun 1 liiil big-eyed lizard n-23 1B hand ooo sun 1 [lil roys n-26 1B water 66 sun 1 [lil rays n-26

21
30-35 WORLD

INOON

Time GO

lt' s noon-straight up .

._Iv_EA_R_____31_.I I LONG TIME, LASTtNG

NEN KY,KU
toshi hisoshii

We plant rice every l've been waiting a long time.

year.

nA IREc ,r E J,4_.I
.1,r7-
_ _ _ _ _____
GIN

1 will now recite -.

ll mouth 566 [J now 30

I Now
._ _ _ ______ Jo_l A 1 THOUGHT, CONCERN 35 I
KON, KIN NEN
ima
/'
What time is it now? ... my heartfelt thoughts.
now 30 hearl ,99

22
 TIME
--------------------------------------.----
36--43

J SUMMER
@:EASON, YOUNG

KI KA,GE
notsu

A child as young and green os o lnescopoble summer heat.

new season's rice plants.
rice plan! 231 liiiil child 447 mask 0-40 liiiil slow progren 1218

[rENDAY PERIOD JAUTUMN

JUN SH
aki
'*- 1 sPR1N G ..t3
._ _ _ _ _____ _.I
SHUN
Ten days of sunshine in June. Rice stolks turn the fiery colors haru
of autumn. Cherry trees bloom in the spring sun.
wrap 949 il sun 1 IJ rice plan! 231 [J fire 83 branches n-43 liiiil sun 1

J PERMIT, FORGIVE JWINTER

KYO
yuru. moto
Permit me to speok ot noon.
[! speak 840 [I noon 37

!k
TO
I GRIEF, SADNSS
fuyu


SHU
/' urei/fil!/. Winter snow ond ice mpede my
l've gol the autumn blues. progress.
autumn ,1 liil heart 499 slow progress 1218 liil ice 94

23
 u
ame, ama-

UN
kumo

24
'1
 & CLOUDS 47-54

1 THUNDER, LIGHTNING 1 DEW, REVEAL, SMALL, RUSSIA 51 1

==
==a= m
i
RAI RO, RO
kaminari tsuyu

Lightning flashes ond thunder Dew is on the Russian roed.

echoes in the field.
rain 45 liiil field 201 rain 45 liiil road 1214

1 ELECTRICITY 1 CONVEY, TRANSMIT

@_LOUD, DIM, MAR 47 I E3
DON
kumo[!!
im1
::z:4
... ond dim the light of doy. DEN DEN
!sula/
liiil cloud 46

An electrical field trovels down the People transmit clouds of

wire. contogous diseoses.
rain 45 liiil lightning n-49 ll persan 362 [I cloud 54

1 SHAKE, TREMBLE
501
m IATMOSPHERE
FUN

Rain is port of the atmosphere.
rain 45 liiil divide n-53

SHIN
luruy./
- i"CLOUD"

1 shake ond tremble al the foot of A As an element this means

a cliff. c:loud. Alone, it is a rore/y used
rain 45 liiil tremble n-50 characler meaning "speak." See 840.

25
55-60 WORLD

1 FLOW, STREAM

Water !WATER

RY, RU
nagaW!/_/fil!.

i RIVER
J 11
SUI A person ftows downstream.
mizu
13 water 11! person n-se [] river 55
Waterflows
between the
SEN
kowa
narrow banks.
i FACTION
A flowing river.

HA

Rivulets diverge from the

mainstream.
ll water 66 [I river ss

1 PROVINCE, SANDBANK i CALAMITY

SHO SAi
su wozowol

Stepping stones
leed across the A calamity of flood and fire.
river to the
sandbank. rver 55 .- fire 83

26
 r
WATER 61 -67

@:PEN SEA, SOAR 1 HARBOR, PORT 1 BAY, GULF

CH KO WAN
oki minato

A ship in the middle of the T ogether, two people come to the Silln' on the dock of the bay.
open sea. harbor to see their reflection.
55 IJ water 66 [I middle 954 13 woter 66 [l'I together 388 lll sel! 450 ll water 66 [l'I red n--65 lll pul! 817

-.I== 1 SEA I
iflt .____
@EEP WATER, ABYSS i "WATER"

''
67
KA_I _____._
umi
The sea is the mother of life.
ll water 66 [l'I person 363 lll mother 446

EN This is the radical

fuchi For water.

Deep water engulfs the trees.

IJ water 66 [I planks n--62

j CAVE, PENETRATE

DO
hora

Water penetrates the cave.

IJ waler 66 [I same 889

27
---
68-71 WORLD

! STEAM, VAPOR
Wash
1 WASH, INVESTIGATE 681

C4-A
/7. V .n
(lG(J)':'
:..... .:
SEN KI .,)
ara_l!_
r?
u ......
,,..;;.< !'. .. .
Wash with water. Swirling steam.

IJ water 66 (1 previous n-118 1) water 66 (1 steom n-119

1 DIRT, DISHONOR

kegareru //rawashii, {?
yogo!!!!_l!_/g, kitonaj

Tears cannot wosh the dirt of

your dishonor.
1) water 66 (1 stognont n-70

IBATHE

YOKU
abiru

Bathe in O volley of water.

1) water 66 (1 volley 168

28
 rF
W AS H 72 -81
--.! -----------------------------------------------,

@HALLOW, LIGHT 1 FLOAT, FLEETING 1 BOIL, GUSH

SEN FU FUTSU
osoj U!Q/kobu/koberu wo!Q/kosu

Splash in the shallow water. A hand lets a child float in A gushing fountain of boiling
the water. water.
11 water 66 (1 holberds so 1 13 water 66 [J'! hond 61 1 [ll child ,147 1) water 66 (] emerge n-78

1 DRY, DEFENSE 1 DEPEND ON, DUE TO, REASON 76) 1 SOURCE, ORIGIN

KAN
EB YU, YO GEN
ho!!I., hi!!! yoshi minomoto

Clothes dry on the line. Depending on where you place The spring is our source of
the drill in the field ... water.
1) water 66 [] origin 81

!SWEAT 1 OIL j SPRING 801

o SEN
izumi
A spring ...
white 45 liiil water 57

YU
f2i"
KAN
ose, asebomu aburo
1 PLAIN, ORIGIN

This sweater makes me sweat. . .. you may hove gushing oil. //T, GEN
hora
... originates from the plain.
11 water 66 [] d ry 72 IJ water 66 (] depend on 76 [] clilf n-81 1ii spring so

29
1 ! 82-90 WORLD

Fire ,,_I L1G_ _H_TL__,A_M_P ______s_.41 1 THREATEN, MENACE s!]

TO
h od:"

light the lamp with fire. Two samurai screamed when

threatened by menacing flames.

i "FIRE" IJ fire 83 [] exact 1089 IJ mouth 566 [I red !x2l n-65

1 \' This is a radical for fire. j BURN, ROAST i VIOLENCE, EXPOSE

*
1 FIRE

SHO 80, BAKU

yakit/keru abareru /kit

KA
h Roast borbeque. Exposed to the violent heot of
A camp fire. the sun ...
IJ fire 83 (1 high n-20 sun 1 liiil affer n-89

,,_I FLA_ M_ E_ _____s6_1 1 BURST, EXPLODE

Y<:
The flames of two fires ...
EN
hono

fire 83 liiil lire 83

I PALE, LIGHT, FAINT I

BAKU
87

/})< TAN
OWO!
_
... a firecracker explodes in a
. .. become faint because of the rain. burst of fire .
IJ water 66 [J Aame 86 IJ fire 83 [I violence 89

30
 F
FIRE / ICE 91 -97

Ice . . o.... . I
' l "tCE"

This element means ice.

...
.-
'

..' .-.... ., ..
TO

O:
higashi
,'

The sun rises through the trees in

the east.
...--........ .
= free 126 l!ii sun 1

QREEZE

..
TO HYO
ki!l!, kogoeru kori

A penguin looks
lt's freezing in the east. through cracks
in the ice.
E ice 94 [J east 91 11 water 66 l!J crack n--94

ICOLD ISNOW 1 FROST

SETSU so
yuki shimo

When it' s cold, the shrubs hove Snow: rain you con hold in 1 can see the frost forming on
no leoves. your hand. the tree.
raof 1 144 l!ii plants n-93 I ice 94 rain 45 hand n-597 1!1 rain 45 lii3 lree 126 eye 538

31
98 - 104 WORLD

1 AREA,

Soil
LI MITS

IKI
j EARTH,SOIL,GROUND 10:Q
DO, TO
tsuchi
A plant grows in the soil.
Hal draws up the area's boundaries.

I] soil 101 [] holberd so 1

1 SLOPE

L
iHAN
soko
CHl,JI
Creatures live in
the ground.

A man puts his hond against the

sloping cliff.
I] soil 101 (J ogoinst 957

1 E..._M_B_A_N_KM_EN_r______i_oo_.l I MINE, PIT, HOLE 103 f J RESIST, OPPOSE

TEI
J[ KO KO
tsutsumi

The sun shines on the embankment Miners work in a hole deep in The hands oppose monagement.
of soil. the earth.
13 soil 101 ce sun l llil leg 617 IJ soil 101 ce shelter 1147 [il desk 157 IJ hond 660 ce shelter 1147 llil desk 157

32
 SOIL / METAL 105- 110

Metal
1 FISH, LURE, CHANGE

ffi CHO
tsuti/!!!

A metal fish lure.

m
4

ll metal 105 [I !odie 265

1 NEEDLE, POINTER 1091

i+ m
KIN, KON
kane, kana

SHIN 4
hari

The metal needle points len

degrees north.
ll metal 105 [I ten 906

1 MIRROR 1061 1 CHAIN, LINK 1071 !COIN

il KYO
kagami

He stands in front of the metal A little metal chain. Hal flips a metal coin.
mirror.
ll metal 105 !11 stand 627 [iil scene n-106 13 metal 105 !1! little 926 [iil money 708 ll metal 105 11 halberd 801

33
111 - 119 WORLD

J TURF, LAWN J WORK, DUTIES J ART, SKILL, PLANT

11

SHI KIN GEi

shibo tsuto

A path winds through the lawn. My duty is to work in the garden. Planting is a skill ond an art.

gross 126 liiil poth n-111 11) gross 124 lll flower 119 El power 745 gross 12,4 liiil speok n-117

J STALK, STEM J GROW THICKLY 1 FLOWER, SHOWY, CHINA

&.
M
(
KEI
kuki
MO
shige /{(I J(' KA,GE
heno

A hand cuts the grassy stalks from Hal makes the gross grow thickly. A Chinese flower grows cmong
the soil. the grass.
gross 12,1 E!! hond 600 liil soil 101 gross 124 holberd 801 gross 124 1iii1 flower n-118

J CHRYSANTHEMUM j FLOWER i FRAGRANT, SWEET SMELL

11
1t
KIKU KA HO
heno konboshii

A chrysanthemum in the grass, The plants change inlo flowers. This person takes in the sweet
with rice-colored petals. smell of the gross.
gross 124 liiil rice 211 l""I gross 124 liiil chonge 374 grass 124 liiil person 386

34
r
BAMBOO & GRASS 120-124

Bamboo
[EisE, CYLINDER

TO
tsulsu
& Grass
cylindrical bamboo tubes ...

bambao 123 liii same 889

IPE, CONTROL IBAMBOO

KAN CHIKU
kuda toke

... ore used as pipes in the officiols' Bamboo reeds.

building.
bamboo 123 liii official 467

11
SAN

This is the radical for

grass, though a number
Two honds count with o bamboo of other elements hove
obacus. the same shope, such as
bomboo 123 B eye 538 li hands n-122 hands in character 122.

35
125 - 131 WORLD

*
J TREE, WOOD J GATHER

Trees BOKU, MOKU,

ki, ko-
SH
otsumeru /!!1Q!!!

A tree with spreading branches. Birds gather in a tree.

bird 319 liiil free 126

J GLORY, FLOURISH, SHINE j NEST 13

o)

El so
sokom, hoeru su

*
Blossoms flourish on the free. Three birds nest in a fruit free.

shine n-127 liiil tree 126 basket n-130 iiiil fruit 126

J ROOT, ORIGIN, BOOK 1251 J WILLOW, WILLOWY J BALANCE

HON
moto
The roots of a lree are cylindrical.
l'I tree 126 liil roots n-125

RY KEN, GON
Character 125 is a/so used after yonogi
numbers to indicated that the things
being counted are cylindicol.
A willow lree. A heron balances in a lree.

IJ tree 126 [J llow n-12e IJ tree 126 [J heron 331

36
 T R E E S 132- 138

!2KE, GATHER
1 21
3
1 PLANTING 1361 1 PLANT 1
371

*
i

SAi SAi SHOKU
to[!! ueru

Honds take acorns from the tree. Hal plants a tree in the soil. Plant a lree in the soil.

ll hand sa o 11! hand 611 lll tree 126 !IJ soil 101 tree 126 El halberd eo1 1) tree 126 [I upright n-137

] (!XTREME, POLE 1331

1 REST 138 1,f*

' ffi
KY
yasumu

A vacationer rests by a free.

IJ person 362

KYOKU, GOKU
kiWC!Tifil!!

Magnetic poles are at the extreme

ends of earth.
ll tree 126 [I extreme n-133

.f* soov
TAi, TEI
karada
The body is the "root" of a person.
ll per$0n 362 [I rool 125

I LEAF
YO
ha
Plonts ond trees generate leaves.
grass 124 !!! generotion 100 liil tree '126

37
139- 145 WORLD

1 DIVIDE, ANALTZE j FIREWOOD, KINDLING i SHEET, COUNTER

SEKI SHIN MAi

takigi, maki

Divide o tree to analyze it. 1 cut the tree into kindling. Slice the tree into sheets.

**
ll tree 126 [I ax 1012 l'l"I grass 124 -=l needle 1006 Eiil ax 1012 IJ free 126 [I slri ke eo2

j FOREST

* *
RIN
I IMMATURE, NOT YET 1441 1 END, TIP 14i]
hayashi
Two trees moke a forest.
MATSU, BATSU
ll tree 126 [J tree 126 MI
sue
moda

This tree has o big ti p.

This tree is immature.
jwooDs
SHIN
mari
Three trees mean woods.
l'l"I trae 126 licl tree 126 Eiil tree 126

38
 T R E E S 146- 151

IDRUM 1 BRANCH, SUPPORT

SHI KO SHI
lsuzumi sosa

The limbs are like branches of flesh. Beat the drum with a branch. A hand holds
upa branch.

IJ Aesh 267 [I branch 148 soil 101 llJ miniature 245 El branch

1 (TREE) BRANCH '" I

SHI
eda,e

,ATSU
i KILL 1 49
1 A branch from a tree.
SATSU, SETSU [] lree (1 branch
koro
126 148

tip. Kili the trees.

ll free 126 11 hand w/ax 792
i BRANCH OFF 1 50
1

KI

Mounlain trails branch off.

[] mountain 167 (1 branch 148

39
--
152-156 WORLD

Timber
1 WEALTH, ASSETS

ZAI, SAi

I
A talen! for turning assets nto
1 TIMBER, RESOURCE 152 wealth.
1) money 708 (1 talen! 871

1 DEVICE
ZAI

People hove a talent

for making trees
inlo timber.
IJ tree 126 (1 tolent 871

Hal made a wooden device.

1) tree 126 (1 command 793

i BOARD, PLATE 1561

HAN, BAN
1 BUNDLE, SHEAF
ita
153I-:::l::-
SOKU
tobo, tobo, tsuko, tsuko Trees are cut nto boards.
Bundled tree branches.
D tree 126 El opening 566 1) tree 126 [I ogoinst 957

40
 TIMBER 157 -166

1 FENCE jBox
sK, TABLE

KI SAKU
tsukue shigarami hako

A wooden table. 1 reod o book on moking fences. A box mode of bamboo and wood.

(] tree 12 6 [I desk n-157 ll tree 126 [I baok 868 l!I bamboo 123 i3 tree 126 Eil eye 538

@_OOKSHELF, ARCHIVES 1 COLUMN, PILLAR 1 LACQUER, VARNISH

TO . CH SHITSU
hashira urushi

Three books sit atop o wooden A tree is cut into o pillar for the Varnish resins ooze like water from
bookshelf. master' s house. o tree.
(] free 126 [I apply 595 1) free 126 [I master 73A 13 water 66 Ee tree 126 lli water 57

j SHELF, TRELLIS 1 POLE, BAR, CLUB jARRANGE

::tE: lotonou/eru
SEi

Correctly arrange the bundle of sticks.

bundle 153 strike 802 lii correct 826

w
BO
lana
-
1 I
CUT BRANCHES

11 took two months to build these A wooden club.

1-U TOTSU

wooden shelves. Leove nothing but cut branches.

ll tree 126 [I monfh 1x21 u ll free 126 [I respectful 703 ll tree 126 [I leave 956

41
167-171 WORLD

Mountains & Valleys

i MOUNTAIN 167 f 1 VALLEY, GORGE 13

LlJ
SAN
:J
KOKU
yomo toni, yo

A three-peaked Enter the valley.

mountain.

...,R_,c_H_,_P_LE_N_r,_Fu_L_____1_70_1 1 GREED, DESIRE

1 WORDLY, VULGAR, CUSTOM 1691

Y YOKU
ZOKU yutokg hoshii

Having left the valley of wlgar Clothes ore plentiful in the So g reedy he could eat the valley.
customs, this person became worldly. rich vall.ey.
ll person 362 l1 volley 168 ll clothes n-170 l1 volley 168 IJ volley 168 l1 goping mouth 553

42
 MOUNTAINS & VALLEYS 172-180

172 17 178
@:ARK, OSSCURE, LONEL Y 1
1 PEAK, TOP 51 1 CAPE, STEEP 1

KI

llt$
saki
A steep mountain.
IJ mountain 167 (1 strange 179

YO HO
kasu]\Q mine

Two c:lark and lonely paths thread He made slow progress to the top of
into the mountain. the mountain.
g mountain 167 l!l thread Jx 21 n-172 IJ mountoin 167 (1 slow progress n-175

ASS, CREST, CRISIS 1 RAV1NE, GORGE

KYO
toge

The pass runs above and below A ravine between mounlain peaks.
the mountain.
13 mountain 167 11! up 942 [ljj down 943 IJ mountain 167 (1 insert n-176

i CRUMSLE, COLLAPSE j EXTREMITY, EDGE, UPRIGHT :;;!s_ 1 STRANGE, ODD

) 1:iT Kl

) How strange to step off the cliff.

big 913 1.1 opening 566

)
HO TAN
kuzu!fil!!/ hashi, hoto, ha
'i:i)i I DRAW NEAR, VISIT 1801
Kl
y. The mountain will crumble in A person stands upright on the yor!!/seru
two months. edge of a cliff. A visitor approaches our house.
553 mountoin 167 1.1 month (x2) 14 ll stand 627 11! mountain 167 [ljj plant n-177 roof 1144 liiil strange 179

43
181 -185 WORLD

Stones
1 GROUP, ASSEMBLE

i ASSIST, HELP I FURTHERMORE, BESIDES 182 I so

kumi, ku

SHO, SO
katsu
... and assemble them with slring ...

JO ... pile the sienes beside

1) thread 964 [J cairn 182
tasukfil!! /koru or on top of each other ...

With a little help

we can ...
1) cairn I a2 [J power 1023

so
habomu

... lo obstruct the hill and impede

our enemies ....
I] hill 1094 [1 cairn 182

i ANCESTOR

so

... who took the lives of our

ancestors.
1) religion 696 [1 coirn 182

44
 STONES 186-193

RUB 1 ROCK, CRAG 1891

@:CLAIM, CLEAR,

TAKU GAN
iwo

A crag is a stone
A hond reclaims the lond by outcropping on
clearing it of stones. a mountain.
IJ hond seo ,(1 slone 190 mounlain 167
liiiil stone 190

l]iONE, REFINE

1 STONE, ROCK 190 1

SEKI, SHAKU
ishi
The plow is honed on a stone.
A rock at the base
IJ stone 190 (1 uniformity n-1B7 of a cliff.

1 MAGNET, PORCELAIN 1 CHARCOAL, COAL 1 ASHES

KAI
hai

1
Ashes at the foot of the cliff.
t'l cliff n-e 1 la fire B3

JI TAN
sumi
r,J, 1 SANO, GRAVEL

A magnet is a stone with magical Charcoal comes from the mountain. 1(? SA, SHA
suna
threads of force. Sand is small stones.
IJ slone 102 [I occult 1x21 n-112 mountain 167 liiiil fire 83 IJ stone 190 [I little 926

45
r;-r-; - - -
194-200 WORLD

Cave
I INVESTIGATE, EXAMINE 1941 1 SEARCH, PROBE

KY

Examine nine caves. TAN

hole 194 liiiil nine 905 sagu[!!, sogog

By hand, we probed behind a tree

1 HOLE, CAVE 195 1
to search for a cave opening.
13 hond .580 [e hole 194 I] . tree 126

1 THRUST, LUNGE, PROTRUDE 19

KETSU
ano

The cave sheltered

eight people.
roof 1144 TOTSU
liiiil eight 904 tsu

Big John lunged from the cave.

hole 194 liiiil big 913

1 SKY, EMPTY 1 KILN, OVEN 1 EXTREME, SUFFER 2001

K YO
soro, koro, o komo

The empty sky, seen through a Fire fine pottery in the kiln. A body pulled from the cave showed
window in a cave. extreme suffering.
hole 194 liiiil construclion 1054 I!!!!! hole 194 8 fine 290 liil fire 82 !'I'! hole 194 lii3 body 459 Eil pull 817

46
 r
READINGS

A single konji con hove rnultiple sounds or

reodings. Konji were borrowed from Chino
ond used both for their phonetic values (the
on-yomi, shown in capital letters), which
shifted over time, ond for words of notive
ee Joponese origin (the kun-yomi, shown in
lowercose letters). Which reoding to use
!6
for o character depends on context ond
what characters it is grouped with.

FOOD
1 SIGHTSEEING
1
:&:4 Ji4
tabe
eal 232
mono
lhing 277
KEN
see 543
BUTSU
lhing 277

DINE
1 SPLENDID
1
:&:
SHOKU
eal 232
JI
acl 590
Ji
mi
see 543
gota
lhing 590

1
-
ONE O'CLOCK BRIEF

ICHI JI i(t) toki
one 897 lime 691 one 897 lime 691
wed
201 - 206 FOOD

Field & Plant

1 WEALTH, RICHES

1 RICE FIELD, PADDY 201 1 fU, FO

tomi, temu

E8 Under whose roof will go the richea

of the field?
rool 1144 I!! opening 566 iil ,lield 201
DEN
ta

A rice field.
1 ABBREVIATE, OUTLINE

A surveyor walks around the outline

of each field.
(] lield 201 [J each 1209

i MEDIATE, SHELL 2021 i FARM, DRY FIELD

KAI
J AREA, BOUNDARY 203 1 hola, hotake

Two people mediate KAI

over ... The poddy is burned d ry ond made
(] person n-202
. .. the boundaries of the field. into o field.
[J person n-202 field 201 . mediate 202 (] fire 83 [J field 201

48
 FIELD & PLANT 207-216

1 POISON 1 BIRTH, PRODUCE 2131

DOKU SAN
aze umu

My garden
produces plants.
iches The ridges divide the paddy and Mom ate a poisonous plant!
hold in water. stand 627
[I hall 907 grow 21,1 liil mother 446
field lOI (J field 201

@EEDLING, SAPLING, SHOOT 2081 1 BARLEY, WHEAT 211 1

B3
A

BYO,MY BAKU
mugi

I
noe1 nowa

).1.... 1 LIFE, BIRTH, GRW 21 <1

>utline
Seedlings shoot up from the field. Check en the grewth of the wheat.
:::t:. SEi, SHO
noma, iki, umu, u1 ha
f!! gross 12, liil field 201 grow 214 liil slow progress 121 a A life.giving plant.

1 TATAMI MAT, SIZE, FOLD, REPEAT 2091 j TILL , PLOW 11-J.I- 1 SACRIFICE
1.J: SEi

A cow' s life is sacrificed.

IJ cow 275 [) life 21A
JO KO
lotami, tala!!lli tagayofil!
lsrAR
SEi, SHO
made Shoes are fer the field, not the A plow tills the soil well. hoshi
latami. The sun: a life-g iving star.
field 201 liil besides 182 IJ plow n-212 [I well n-212 l!"!l sun 1 liil life 21,1

49
217-224 FO O D

1
2 1_ a...
'-'G_ R _ A_1N,_ _P_AR_T_1c_L_E _____ 1 MATERIALS, ME ASUR E, CHARG E :f)

Rice RY
*4 RYO
tsubu

In Jopan, rice is bought at grain A ladle is used lo measure the rice.

stands.
I] rice 217 [I stand 627 1) rice 211 [J measure 886

._I P_R o_v,_s1_oN_ _s,_F_o_o_o____2_1_9I I P OWDER

RYO, RO FUN
kate kono, ko

*
The town's daily food is rice. Chop the rice into powder.

IJ rice 217 [I quontity n-219 1) rice 217 [I divide 1025

1 RICE, AMERICA 2171 1 NEIGHBOR, ADJOIN 2201 1 W ORK, E AR N MONEY 223 I

SEi, MAi KA
kome kosew
Jopan won't buy American rice. Earning money to bring home rice.
1) rice plant 231 (] home 281

%-- j FRAGR ANC INCENSE 22-4I

RIN
tanori

1'11 borrow rice from my neighbor

1=3 . KO, KA
koam/rl
on !he adjoining hill. The fragrant rice dries in the sun.
ll hill 109, 11! rice 211 (il stop n-220 rice plont 231 liiiil sun 1

50
 R I C E 225- 231

@RAIN, CEREALS
2251 j PRODUCT, PILE 2281 i COURSE, SECTION 2291

*IL

KOKU
ff SEKI
:}
KA
tsu!!!!!/moru

rice. Honds wield axes to harvest the Our rice products earn a pile Sort the groins of rice in o
grains from the soil. of money. sectioned box.
soil 101 lll rice plant 231 El hand w/ax 792 13 rice plont 231 111 grow 214 [lj money 708 (] rice plont 231 [J meosre 886

ROFIT, GAIN, EFFECT ._I H_A_R_vE_sr____ 2_J

o_.l 11.
KAKU
f.
Al harvest time we feast on fowl.

RI
ki!lli

We profit by cutting grain ...

() rice plont 231 [J knife 1037

i 0RDER, STIPEND
rice.

CHITSU

... but lose the grain to workers' This rice plant

un. stipe nds. radical represents
ll rice plont 231 [I lose 577 "grain. 11

51
232 - 239 FO O O

\ DRINK, SWALL OW

Eat IN
nomu

A mouth opens wide to drink.

ll eot 232 (1 gaping l"(IOuth 553

\ FOOD, EAT 2 2
3
I \ C OO KED RICE, FOOD

SHOKU HAN
taberu, kuY. meshi

Eat a bowl of food.

Cooked rice eaten in a cupped

m
hand.
IJ ea! 232 [J turning hand n-237

\ LARGE BUILDING, HALL AR E REAR, T

2 I

""3
331 lsT V
SUPPO

GA YO
yoshinoy_
A starving body eatsu;elf. 1 support myself by rearing sheep.
IJ eat 232 (J self 450 sheep 290 liiil eot

n \
232

KAN 0
T ARVE, HUNGER
S 1 SECTION, LESSON

fl/l,

KI KA
Keep eating and you'II hove to keep ueru
your butt in a large building. Food on the table makes me hungry. Her speech lesson bears fruit.
13 food 323 ce roo! 1144 lll buttocks 466 ll food 232 (1 table 157 ll speak B40 (1 fruit 240

52
 E A T 240-248

1T, RESULT, CARRY OUT 2401 1 JUICE, SOUP, LIQUID 24 1 1 CULTIVATE, GROW 2461

5t
3

?
:
e
J

KA J BAI
shiru
(T
ha , hotosu lsuchikoJ!

Fruit from the trees in the field. Ten parts water makes a good soup. 1 grew a mouth-watering tomato.

553 !!'! field 201 liiiiij lree 126 ll water 66 [] ten 906 13 soil 101 111 stand 627 [iil mouth 566

1 I
un:
l]EGETABLE 241 1 SALT 2441 1 COMPENSATE
247

SAi
tiEN
,,i:::I
BAI
no shio

Vegetables grow between the grass 1 put Earth salt on my dish of eggs. 1 was compensated with money ...
ond the trees.
n-237 gross 124 E3 hand 609 lii1 lree 126 ll soil 101 111 opening 566 [iil dish 265 13 money 708 111 stand 627 [iil mouth 566

-
1 EGG, ROE 2421 1 BEANS, MINIATURE 1 DIVIDE, CUT UP

eep.
\/
RAN TO, zu BO
!amago mame

Two eggs. A tiny bowl of beans. . .. when my tomato was cut up.

l!IJ stand 627 lll mouth 566 El knile 1037

53
 249- 256 FOOD

Wine
1 DISTRIBUTE

l "WINE" 249 I HAI

kuba[!!

1'11 distribute lhe wine personally.

[] wine 249 [] me 445

A wine ;ar.

i SEVERE, CRUEL, HARSH

1 ALCOHOL, SAK 250 1

KOKU

SHU
ti I DRUNK, DIZZY
sake, saka ,;.,_ SUI
1 Y!! The wine has a severe, harsh laste.
Pour out the sak. 1 gel drunk after nine or len bottles.
[] water 66 [] wine 249 13 wine 249 [1'J nine 903 111 ten 906 13 wine 249 [1'J grow 214 111 mouth 566

1 FERMENT, YEAST 252 I 1 CURO, DAIRY PRODUCE 25

3 I 1 BOTTLE, JUG, JAR

KO
M RAKU
jfJi
BIN
kame

The young wine needs yeast Jars of dai ry products are left on A bottle and a jug.
to ferment. each doorstep.
[] wine 249 [] piety 403 (] wine 249 [] each 1209 (] poir n-256 [] vessel n-256

Ll 54
 WINE / TRAY 257- 265

@Ifi", PROFIT, BENEIF T I

Troy
2 57

EKl,YAKU
'\
A //
1 DISH, BOWL, PLATE, TRAY 261 1
1IIl
mo su

sora

lly. In O profitable year my dish A bowl on a tray.

overflows.
liiiij dish 261
woter n-257

CTRAY, B ON FESTIVAL

BON TO SHAKU
nusumu kumu

laste. A tray is.used for cutting. 1cry over whot'II be stolen next Serve wine with a ladle.
my dish!
h 566 divide 1025 dish 261 next 553 dish 261 ll wne jor 249 [J ladle 265

1 REWARD, T OAST ._I L_1o_u1o_M_

_ EAs _ R_ E_ _____26_ J_.I
_ u ILA DLE, MEASURE
SHO

Drink a toast to the stale.

IJ wine 249 [] state 56

n,
R11* 1 TRA y BOWL, PLA TE 260
I

BAN
1
SHO
masu
SHAKU

Meosure ten spoonfuls of liquid. Measure liquid with a ladle.

Carry the tray.
corry 1182 ,, dish 261 [] person 362 [I ten 906

55
 266 - 274 WORLD

1 BE LIKE, BE LUCKY J FAT, GREASE

Meat SHO SHI

r*1
oyokof.!l abura, yani

1 MEAT, FLESH

IAJ NIKU You'II be lucky if you get a little

meat.
The fat of the meat ...

This meaty steak serves two people. little 926 meot 267 [) meo! 267 [I tasty 272

l "FLESH, MEAT" J PARE, REDUCE 1 SWEET, PRESUME UPON

I J
This radical can mean

1t
either Resh 266 or moon 14
depending on the character it's in.

SAKU KAN
keZUf.!l omoi/eru/yakosu

Pare the little piece of meat. . .. is sweet.

!'U little 926 il meot 267 fl knile 1037

1 EXTINGUISH, VANISH, CONSUME 270 1 1 TASTY, GOOD, GIST 2731

SHI
mune, urna!
1 spoon tasty things into my mouth.
spoon n-273 mouth n-273

,.,
SHO
ke, kieru

BO
A little water extinguishes the
burning rneat. Trim the fat off the si des of the meat.
13 water 66 l!! little 926 [ljj meot 267 [) meot 267 [I side 386

56

.__ 1 -
 tNTERESTING WORDS

"Fire-flower" burns a picture in your mind,

while "flowering fire" is much more playful
thon the English "fireworks." Words like
"interesting" ond "genius" moke you wonder
how they carne to be. Compounds like
"adult" and " tomorrow" hove assigned
readings that can't be guessed al from
their kanji. Dobutsu, "animal," al right,
literally meons "move thing."

1 1

1 FIREWORKS i SPARK

1E*- *-1t
hana
ffower 116
bi
fire 83
hi
fire 83
bana
f/ower 116

INTERESTING GENIUS

omo shiro! KI SAi

face 469 white 936 devif 645 tolent 871

uth. ADULT TOMORROW 1

otona asu
big 913 person 363 bri ght B sun 1
neot.
275 - 280 ANIMALS

Cow,
i PASTURE

Pig, & BOKU

moki

Sheep Drive the cow to pasture.

IJ cow 275 [] strike 802

41 cow ITHING
GY
ushi
This is the cow with the
crumpled horn.
BUTSU, MOTSU
mono

f"PIG" 279]
To get milk you pull on the
cow's thing. This means pig when
IJ cow 275 [] thing n-277 used as an elemenf.

1 UNRAVEL, EXPLAIN, SOLVE 1 HORN, ANGLE, CORNER

KAI, GE KAKU
toku lsuno, kodo

A cow's horn explains a lot about A horn bends at an angle.

its life.
13 horn 2eo Cl'l knile 1023 [11 cow 275

58
 COW, PIG , & SHEEP 281-290

, -- 1
ST 1 PIG, HOG J CHASE, PURSUE
r:E"E, SPECIALI

tJ

KA, KE TON CHIKU

ie, ya buta
i

We use a pig far its mea!. In pursuit of a pig.

A sty is O house for pigs.

. pig 279 IJ meat 267 [J pig 279 IJ move 1153 [J pig 279
I'!! rool 11

@ROUP, FLOCK 1 GOOD FORTUNE, OMEN 1 SHEEP, FINE, PRAISEWORTHY

YO
hitsuji

Sheep are fine assels.

GUN SHO
muro, mu/reru

The lord of the sheep attends A sheep is sacrificed on the altar to

n his Rock. bring good fortune.
(J lord ,117 [J sheep 290 IJ altar 696 [J sheep 290

Jill
1 FRESH, VIVID, CLEAR 2831 I BEAUTIFUL, FINE 2871

m
SEN BI
fl\\ aza utsukushii
fine fresh fish. Big beautiful sheep.
(J fish 35,1 [J sheep 290 !'!"! sheep 290 l. big 913

JDETAILED 2841 I ARRIVE, WEAR 2881

SHO
kuwashii 11 CHAKU
tsuku, kiru
His was a detailed speech on sheep. 1 like to wear wQol myself.
(J word a,o [J sheep 290 !'!"! sheep 290 self 542
291 - 294 ANIMALS

Horse
1 HORSE

}J., BA
uma,ma

A horse lies on its side.

This lends to look

more like a horse, if you
picture il on its side.

1 STOP, STAY 1 NOISE, DISTURBANCE 1 SURPRISE

CHO so KYO
sawog_u/gashii odorokJ!/kasu

A horse stays by his master. The horse is disturbed by a snake. Surprise a horse with a stick and
it will respect you.
ll horse 291 [I master 734 ll horse 291 C!l strike 002 [ljj snake 311 respect 295 horse 291

60
 H O R 5 E 295 - 303

r________2_9s_.l 1 SWORD, BAYONET 2981 1 STATION

;;,;.

l j
KEI KEN EKI
uyamal! lsurugi

ct ... checks his sword ... Load the horse al the station.
l'II beot sorne respe into you.

[J strike [) ali n-297 [J sward 1 023 [) horse 291 (1 measure

(] humility n-295 002 884

I INVESTIGATE 1 RIDER

KEN Kl

He warned me of the hand with ... and investigates behind trees ... A stronge rider mounts ...
the stick.
l"'l respecl 295 liiiil speak 840 [) tree 126 [J ali n-297 [) horse 291 (1 strange 179

i EXAMINE 1 STEEP, SEVERE, PERILOUS 1 PACK HORSE, POOR QUALITY

KEN KEN DA
kewashii

md A good scout examines his horse ... .. . before making camp in the steep ... but the poor pack horse keels
and perilous hills. under the weight of the fat man.
ll horse 291 (1 ali n-297 [) hill 1094 (1 all n-297 [) horse 291 (1 fat 914

61
 304-310 ANIMALS

Bugs
1 FIREFLY 3051 1 BARBARIAN
3

KEI BAN
hotaru
i lNSECT, WORM 3 41
0
Firefly: a radian! insect. His barbarie smell is attracting bugs.

l!'I lire n-305 liiiil insect 304 l!'I red 929 1iiii1 insect 3!)4

CH
mushi
!MOSQUITO I IMPURE, TURBID, VOICED
Abug.

DAKU
ka niga@/

A textbook case of mosquito bites. Use a net to rid the impure water
of insects.
ll insect 304 [1 text 834 13 water 66 O'l net 987 lll insect JO

1 COCOON 1 TOUCH, FEEL, CONTACT

3071
3101

i
11

(Jil

KEN SHOKU
mayu fure@, sawa@

In the grass, an insect made a An insect's hornlike antennae:

cocoon of thread. "feelers."
l'I'! grass 124 -3 thread 964 5l insect 304 ll horn 280 [1 insect 304

..._11
 BUGS / SNAKES & BIRDS 311 -317

Snakes & Birds

" -----3-1..
1
1
:.. --

i BIRD
bu91

CHO
tori

@AKE, SERPENT A bird in a nest ...

\ I / //
JA, DA
hebi
1 NON-HUMAN CRY \II
MEI
1ter He fell when bit by a snake. nak.l!./!!!
... cries out.
ect 101 13 snoke 311 [1'! roof 1144 lll persan n-312 [] mouth 566 [] bird 314

2ill [srRONG 3 31
1
-----------1
I ISLAND 3 6_1 i CRANE, STORK

si
KYO, GO

TO KAKU
tsuyoi shima tsuru

A strong snake can pull with its tail. A bird flies above the island The crane is next to another bird.
mounlains.
11 pull 817 [] snake 311 lil mountain 167 rl bird 314 [] heron 331 [] bird 314

63
318-322 ANIMALS

Plumage
1 SEPARATE, LEAVE 1 SCORCH

,,,,
RI SHO
hanareru/ ko !Wl!I.
0S8r!!, ji@.[!!

Only birds can leave from Scorched foul.

the cliffs that separate us.
IJ oriole n-31 e (1 bird 319 bird 319 ;. fire e2

1 BE EXCITED, STIR

FUN
furuJI.

A big scarecrow stirs up and

excites the bird in the field.
big 913 !!I bird 319 liil field 201

1 SNATCH, CAPTIVATE

l"BIRD"
3191

DATSU
uba!!_
Used only as a part
of other chorocters,
this means bird. A big bird is snatched by the man
with the gun.
big 913 !!I bird 319 liil inch 7S9

64
 PLUMAGE 323 - 330

.) @sH, RINSE
323
I 1 FLY, JUMP 32
7 I

) ;i
TAKU
1R HI

(J tobu

A bird washing its wings. Birds fly south.

ll water 66 C!l win_gs 330 bi rd 319

ING 32 1
4 1 NEXT (TIMEI 3281 1 FLAP, CHANGE 32 1
9

YOKU
J:I
;....;a-
lt
YOKU
I
HON
tsubasa hirugoe[!!/

She wears a stronge mask and "See you next time, l've gotta fly." A bird flapping its wings over the
wings. rice Field.
101 wings 330 strange 335 wings 330 iiil stand 627 l!l rice 231 lill field 201 El wings 330

i DIFFER, STRANGE 1 FEATHER, WING

kotono[!!
A strange, masked girl.
field iiil together

201 383

ha, hane
I LEARN, TRAIN

SHU Wing feathers.
an narag
White wings mean you need training.
'59 wings 330 iiil white 936

65
331 -334 ANIMALS

Heron
1 WATCH, OBSERVE

KAN

Bird watching.

IJ heron 331 [l wotch ;43

i J "HERON"
This element means heron.
1 ENCOURAGE, ADVISE

KAN
susumeru

Encourage heron preservation.

IJ heron 331 [J power 745

J REJOICE, MERRY

KAN
yorokoh!!

Rejoice and sing like a bird.

IJ heron 331 [J gaping mouth 553

66
 HERON / DOG 335 - 342

[f________ l
Dog
33_s.. l "DOG" 3381

Ths elemenf
KEN
inu
means dog.

A big, spotted dog. 1 PROTECT 339 I .._I H_u_N_r __ 3

_4o_1
,liil big 913
(3 spot n-335

@sr,ANIMAL
SHU, SU SHU
mamo!:,!:! ko.d/Il!.

A man protects ... ond hunts

1 HUNTING the house ... with his dog.
""' roof 1144 ll dog 338
J RYO liiil inch 759 [] profecf 335
ke(dulmono

They go hunting for birds ...

ll dog 45 [] leop n-341
The mosk of o beast.

() protecl n-336 [] dog 338

1 FIERCE, RAGING, BRAVE J CATCH, SEIZE, GET 3421

MO KAKU

... usually catching

The child bravely touches the one in the grass.
ll dog 338
ll'! gross 124 + bird 319
fierce dog's dish.
ll dog 338 ll'! child 447 dish 261 Cil hond 5BO
1 553

67
 343 -346 ANIMALS

1 BEAUTIFUL

REI
uruwashii

A pair of eyes admires the

beautiful deer.
group n-344 liil deer 343

1 ELEPHANT

1 DEER ZO, SHO

A big-eared elephant.

ROKU
shika

A deer with antlers.

1 DRAMA, INTENSE

Forest j lj
Animals
GEKI

A tiger vs. a pig with swordplay is

an inten$e drama.
!!] tiger 353 ill pig 279 El sward 1023

--- 11
68
 FOREST ANIMALS 347 - 353

JEJ Y,---
3
OPPRESS ----4_7
.. I I PLAY, FROLIC, JOKE s
3 o1 ._I s_K_1N_________s3 _.11

GYAKU GI FU
shiito lowamureru hada

ive paw ... The circus tiger plays around the fire. A tiger rips open a man's skin and
The tiger's cruel, oppress
eats his guts.
Cl ligar 353
[i hond n-347 liger 353 lll play n-35O El halberd 001 [] liger 353 lii stomoch n-351

(sAPTIVE,
PRISONER OF WAR 3
48 I I TIGER 3
5 21 l "TIGER" 5
3 3
I
; m

RYO KO
Ths element

meons tiger.
A tiger with
gaping jaws .
... guords the prisoner of war ...
[] tiger 353
Cl ligar 353 fi man 419 [i tiger n-352

f FEAR, ANXIETY

GU
osare

y is ... and this gives the prisoner's wife

anxiety.
,rd 102l Cl liger 353 [i give 834

69
 354 -361 ANIMALS

:]J
Sea Creatures
D_R _A_G_o _N__ __
_
:re
_
'-1

E@,
1 FISH RY, RYO
tatsu

,,,, A roaring dragon.

GYO
uo, sakana

1 caught four fish ...

1 ATT ACK

1 FISHING 3551

SH
/111\ OSO!!

GYO, RYO

The dragon attacks by burning

. .. salt-water fishing. clothing
IJ water 66 [I fish 354 l"'l dragon n-359 liiil clothing 1021

l r _o_R r_o_1s_ E_, _ru_R_TL_E ____ J-56_.I

_ _
ISHELL, ARMOR, HIGH, 1 sr
''.3%. 1 WATERFALL
/E@, taki

The waterfall roars like a drogan.

ll water 66 [I dragon 358
KI KO, KAN
kame kora
____ 36 l1
...a..1 w_H_A_LE
. __
fllVi GEi

11
The turtle weors a shell. A turtle's shell is its armor. kujira

The whale is a capital fish!

I] fish 35,1 [] capital 1077

11
-- 11 1
70
 REPEATING KANJI

A word for "people" in Japonesa is hitobito,

shown at right. The upper konji is hito
363, PERSON. The lower character is o
graphic device similor to ditto marks (")
in English, indicoting that the previous char
acter is repeoted. Sometimes, the pronun
cialion of the second chorocter is chonged
slightly to moke il eosier to soy.

SOMETIMES 1 GRAND 1

toki doki DO DO
time 691 /X2/ ha// 1130 /X2/

VARIOUS WE

iro iro ware ware

colors 927 (X2/ self 794 /X2/

INCREASINGLY 1 1 A LITTLE BIT

on.

1)-ll
masu masu SHO SHO
gain 257 /X2/ few 925 (X2J
362 - 367 PEOPLE

People
i PERSON i MEET

A
i "PERSON" 362 1 JIN, NIN
hito
KAI, E
OJ!

A person taking a step. 1'11 meet a personal friend on a

cloudy doy.
This is the radical !'!! person 363 iii doud 5
for peron.

1 EXPATRIATE 3)

"
The expatriate ...
ll person 157 [I tower n-Jtt

1 BRIDGE

i SCARCE, DESTITUTE 365 1

KYO
BO hashi
toboshii
... eros sed the
The destitute person wooden bridge
stands alone. 11 tree 157
l!I person 362 iii path n-365 [I tower n-366

72
 PEOPLE 368 - 373

El @ffiVOLENT, HUMANITY 3681 1 SUBMIT, FOLLOW, LIE DOWN 369 1 1 RANK, EXTENT 370 1

1=
JIN, NI
{7' FUKU
ill
fuil!/W!! kuroi

This be nevolent person cares for The dog lies down before its master. A person of lower rank bows to a
two people. person of higher standing.
ll person 362 [J two 898 ll person 362 [I dog 335 ll person 362 [I stand 627

&
1 SERVE, WORK, DO 372 1 1 REACH, EXTEND 373 1
{
KY
SHl,JI oyo//bosu
tsukoeru
Reach out and extend an
open hand.
This person serves ll person 362 [I hond n-373
r n-361
the samurai.
ll person 362 [I samurai 753

! LOAD, SURDEN 371

1
fij
KA
ni
the
idge What is that person's
load? Grass?
366 [J free 157 (J whot? n-371

73
374 - 378 PEOPLE

ICHANGE 3741 1 PRINCIPLES, ETHICS 1 REPLACE, GENERATION, FEE

it
KA,KE
fmi RIN DAI, TAi
ka'.!!'.Q!l!/llli!..Y
bokeru

A young person changes nto a People in Washington hove big Every generation must pay its dues.
seated old man. principies and few ethics.
ll person 362 [J follen person n-374 ll person 362 [I order n-375 ll person 362 [I halberd eo1

1 HERMIT, WIZARD

SEN 1 SEAT, SIT, GATHER

ZA
A hermit lives in the SUWOf!:!

mountains. Two people sit on the ground floor.

ll person 362 [I mountain 167 ll building
1143 [I soil + person (x.2) 101

74
 PEOPLE 379 - 385

Eil @llONS HIP

379 I 1 ASSIST, ASSISTANT 3801 1 ATTEND (UPON) 381 1

\ { CHO
ftcSA
f=ij= JI
.......__ noko samurai, hobe[!!

dues. l'm in the middle of a personal "Lefty" here is my assistant. The samurai attends this temple.
relationship.
ll person 362 [J middle 954 IJ person 362 [J left 601 ll person 362 [J temple 685

@FFER, ATTENDANT 382 I 1 EQUIP, PREPARE 384 I

KYO, KU
tomo, sonaeru
The attendant greets ...
(] person 362 [J together 383
81
sonoeru/waru

1 am prepared for the

cliff dwellers.
ll person 362 [J use n-384

J floor.
, (x2I 111
._I r_oG_ _EH_r _ ER_ ___383_ ..I .t.
KYO
tomo .I' '
. . . the couple traveling together.
1 USE
YO
mochiiru m
1'11 use this fence lo keep them out.

75
386 - 391 PEOPLE

Person
1 RELEASE, EMIT

H
hana/tsu

This person was released after

being beaten.
ll person 386 [I strike 802

PERSON, SIDE, WAY,

DIRECTION, SQUARE 386 1 SIDE, BESIDES

H B
kata katawara

The person points

in that direction. Pul it beside that standing person.

El person 362 stand 627 person 311

!FLAG 1 PERFORM, CHARITY 3881 1 VISIT, INQUIRE

KI SHI, SE HO
hala hadako otozureru, tazuneru

A person waves a flag. A drama is performed for charity. 1 asked him directions during my visit.

C'l flag n-387 !ii device n-387 C'l flag n-387 !ii creatu re n-102 ll speok 840 [I person 386

76
 PERSON / POPULACE 392 - 399

[f:________3_9_21
Populace
l {[(:
TEI
hikuj

A person comforts a family member

who is low.
PEOPLE,
POPULACE 395

ll person 362 [l'I fomily 396 [lil one 897 MIN

tami

There are no people

[!? REACH, RESIST, OPPOSE with big heads ...

1 CLAN, FAMILY, MR 3961

TEI

SHI
,on. A hond reaches out for a resistant uji
fomily member.
son m ll hond 580 [l'I fomily 396 111 one 897 ... in my family.

!COMPARE, RATIO 1+11 i RESIDENCE, MANSION 3981

; J:t

J TEI

t!t
My family resides in o mansion.
l'IJ family 396 lll one 897 fl hill 1094

Hl
kuraberu
I cmTKIZE, SlR- PASS 3991

y visit. Twins ore olways compared. A multitude of descendants sil

under the sun. A hand strikes out al the sil-in.
E sitting person n-374 [] sitting person n-374 !"I sun 394 ; compare 394 IJ hand 580 [] compare 394

77
400 -404 PEO PLE

!fil
PeoP.le's
J iNDUSTRIOUS J GOVERNMENT OFFICE, SIGN

Burdens
l "BURDENS" 402 I
SHI

if you're not industrious, 1'11 beat

you with a stick.
i
The big eye of govemment wotche1
the ever-burdened people.
IJ child 447 [I strike 802 net 987 liiiil person 408

This element
ITEACH
404 I
means KYO
oshi!l!Y.
burdens.
1'11 teach piety to you with this stick.
IJ piety 40J [I strike 802

o
o
J FILIAL PIETY _
KO

The burden o child beors: filial piety.
burden 402 1iiii1 child 447

78
 PEOPLE' S B U R DEN S 405-410

40 1 COOK, BOIL 406 1 TORTURE, HIT 40

@IWEATHER} 51 1 71

,,,,
SHO SHA GO
otsui ni[l!/eru/

Jlches Corrying a heavy burden in the sun A burdensome bag of victuals is He is beaten and tortured for being
mokes you hot. cooked in the fire. inconsiderate.
person 408 person 408 fire 82 ll hond 580 [J consider 409
1' sun 1

1 PERSON 1 CONSIDER
KO

SHA
mono kongoeru
Every person has burdens to carry. 1 someti mes stop to consider ...
1' burden 02 sun 1

1 AGED MAN, TO GROW OLD 410

1

RO

... if these burdens will crush me as

1 growold.

79
411 -415 PEOPLE

Woman &Man
1 PLEASURE, AMUSEMENT

-4-,- 1 WOMAN 1 NOISY, IMMORAl GO

JO,NYO,NYO KAN
onna, me kashimashii
This woman ... ... lends lo be noisy in groups.
She tokes pleasure in giving
l'l'I woman 411 .:3 waman 411 lij woman 411
advice ...
ll woman 411 (1 give 83S

1 BEGIN, FIRST ,41

Ai3SHI
haji!!!!lli!/!!!Jlli!

... but is the first to open her mouth ...

13 woman 411 [e self 411 [lil mouth 566

1 FIGURE, SHAPE .41

SHI
sugata

... ond cry over her figure.

nexl sss liiiil woman 411

80
 WOMAN & MAN 416-421

MAKE FUN OF, TEASE, RIDICULE 416 Mony characters containing

the elements for "woman"
and "man" reflect the
times in which they
were creoted.

JO
nobu!.!,!

Two women tease a man from

both sides.
O womon (x21 ,11 lll man 419

3 [@RD, YOU,
MR. 4
17 I
l
jMAN, MALE 4 1

o
19

KUN
kimi
DAN,NAN
otoko
oulh ... A tycoon with a cigar.
A man works in the field.
mouth 5M r:, hond w/stick n-417 lii mouth S66 lield 201 liiil power 745

:ill] 1 MALE, POWERFUL 4181 1 MANLY, STRONG 4201 1 VILLA, MANOR, MAJESTIC 42 1

ti 1
11

Y s6 SO, SHO
osu, o-

Falconry is a sport for powerful The samurai shows his strength. The samurai slrikes a majestic pose
malea. on the lawn of his villa.
ll 11bow n-A I e [I bird 319 ll big n- 420 [I samurai 753 grass 124 liiil manly 420

81
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1 -1 DAMP, MOIST, HUMID 1 SMALL

J--5tu!
-6

SHITSU SHO

\)
s--- shime/ ka-, a, chiisai

A small needle.
7- The sun evaporates water, making
the air humid. ------10 1 BIG
e - ll water 66 a! sun 1 Cl wet n-6 -11
9__/

1. Meaning in English 6. Visual mnemonic

2. Reference number 7. Text mnemonic

3. Konji chorocter B. Schemolic of elements TAi, DAI

4. On (borrowed Chinase) 9. Elemenl meaning 6fili
reodin g 1 O. Cross-reference number

5. Kun (Joponese) reoding 11. Noles reference number lt was this big.

978-0-9628137-0-2
51995 >

9 780962 813702
U5$19.95/CAN$22.00

Winner, lnternational Typographic Design Award

Winner, HOW lnternational Design Award