The Complete Guide to Japanese Kanji_ (JLPT All Levels) Remembering and Understanding the 2136 Standard Characters

片980 HEN, kata Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Seal form shows
that represents one side of a tree (see
L3 one side, piece 73) split or cut in half vertically, giving liter-
4 strokes ally ‘split tree’, and hence ‘one side’. The split
is probably conceptual, since to achieve this
DANPEN fragment with ancient tools would have been extremely
katate one hand difficult. QX2000:204; YK1976:445; OT1968:633;
katazukeru tidy up KJ1970:787.

Mnemonic: ONE SIDE OF A TREE IS SOME PIECE!

補981 HO, oginau the alternative view ii] which Mizukami lists, i.e.
taking the OBI and bronze forms as representing
L3 supplement, make a shoot of vegetation ( ) in a field or seedbed.
good, stopgap Another credible interpretation – iii] – is offered
12 strokes by Shirakawa, who takes the early forms of
as showing a sapling with a framework sup-
HOJO support porting the lower part (interestingly, the OBI
HOJŪ supplement form Shirakawa lists supports the ‘use an ax’
HOKYŌ reinforcement interpretation). While there is divergence over
the original meaning(s) of , there does appear
Seal ; late graph (Shuowen); Has 444 ‘gar- to be some agreement over the function of this
ment’, and NJK ; scholars dispute orig. mean- element in , i.e. that here serves as phonetic
ing of latter (modern meanings inc ‘begin’). It with associated sense ‘add on, patch’. Later,
is felt that what is now the one shape may the idea of ‘garment’ was lost from , leading
have once represented two separate graphs to generalised meanings such as ‘repair’, ‘add
of similar but different shape and meaning on’. MS1995:v2:870-71,v1:256-8; YK1976:450;
(Katō, with some support from Mizukami). One KJ1970:857; OT1968:905; SS1984:777. Suggest
analysis of (analysis i]) takes the OBI and taking right side as ‘use’ 235, and ‘needle’
bronze forms as signifying ‘use an ax’, which 35, plus point.
is the Shuowen interpretation (< originally
‘hand holding ax’; now ‘father’ 216), over ‘use’ Mnemonic: USE NEEDLE POINT TO MAKE
(a loan meaning; 235); this is one analysis listed
by Mizukami, though none of the OBI forms he GOOD SOME SUPPLEMENTARY CLOTHES
lists actually support this – rather, they support

暮982 BO, kureru/rasu as a result, to represent the word for ‘evening’
clearly an extra ‘sun’ 66 was added to ,
L3 live, sunset, end thereby creating the new graph . Another
14 strokes meaning is ‘late’, and either this or ‘evening’ no
doubt gave rise to ‘end’ as an extended sense.
BOSHUN late spring The Japanese-only meaning ‘live’ (kurasu) ap-
yūgure evening pears to have evolved through a connection
kurashikata lifestyle with the verb kurasu in early Japanese which
meant ‘spend time until darkness when the
OBI ( ) ; seal . 809 (q.v.), the original sun sets’. QX2000:193,227; OT1968:473,857;
way of writing , is made up of the sun 66 MS1995:v2:1118-9; KJ1970:776; AS2000:393,
setting amongst trees or vegetation 519. Suggest taking as variant of ‘big’ 56.
53; there may be an associated sense for the
vegetation component (‘cover’), but this is by Mnemonic: LIVE TO SEE SUN SET AMONGST
no means universally favored (or necessary) as
an interpretation. Later, was borrowed as a BIG PLANTS AT END OF THE DAY
convenient way to write a near-homophone
in early Chinese meaning ‘none, nothing’, and

300 The 181 Sixth Grade Characters

宝983 HŌ, takara (as currency)’, and 1141 (originally, pot with
lid; modern ‘can, tin’) as phonetic with associ-
L1 treasure ated sense ‘store away’, giving ‘valuables stored
8 strokes away under a roof’ and hence ‘treasure, pre-
cious’. (Note there is an OBI equivalent, which
HŌSEKI jewel lacks the above phonetic component .) The
ZAIHŌ riches modern form uses ‘jade’ 15. QX2000:231-2;
kodakara treasured children MS1995:v1:390-91; YK1976:453.

Bronze ; seal ; The traditional form has Mnemonic: TREASURE HOUSE CONTAINS
30 ‘roof, dwelling’, (here, not ‘king’ 5 but as
JEWELS FULL TO THE ROOF
abbreviation for 15 ‘jade’), with 10 ‘shell

訪984 HŌ, otozureru, tazuneru Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 118
‘words; speak’, and 223 (‘direction; person’)
L3 visit, inquire as phonetic with associated sense ‘widely’,
11 strokes giving ‘inquire/consult widely’; ‘visit’ is a loan
usage. TA1965:443; YK1976:454; AS2007:232.
HŌMON visit
TANBŌ inquiry Mnemonic: VISIT A PERSON TO INQUIRE
otozure visit, arrival
ABOUT WORDS SPOKEN

亡985 BŌ, MŌ, nai/kunaru OBI ; seal . Typically analyzed as ‘person’
(in the modern graph, modified in shape to ),
L3 die, lose, escape and a second element which may represent
3 strokes ‘corner, wall’ (or similar), giving the overall sense
‘person hides/disappears/escapes’. ‘Lose, die’
SHIBŌ death may be seen as extended senses. YK1976:456;
MŌJA the deceased OT1968:36; MS1995:v1:34-5.
BŌMEI exile
Mnemonic: DEAD PERSON LOST IN A CORNER

忘986 BŌ, wasureru Bronze ; seal . Has 164 ‘heart, mind’,
and 985 ‘die, lose’ as semantic and phonetic,
L3 forget, leave behind meaning ‘(something) disappears from the
7 strokes mind’, i.e. ‘forget’. KJ1970:771; MS1995:v1:498-9;
YK1976:456; OT1968:360.
BŌKYAKU forgetfulness
BŌON ingratitude Mnemonic: ‘DEAD IN ONE’S MIND’ MEANS
wasuregachi forgetful
FORGETFULNESS

棒987 BŌ 棓 comprises 73 ‘wood, tree’, and 咅 389
(CO ‘spit as sign of refusal’) as phonetic with
L3 pole, bar, club associated sense ‘big stick’, giving ‘big stick’.
12 strokes Later 咅 was replaced by 1954 (‘offer’,
‘respect’). YK1976:458; KJ1970:759; OT1968:513;
SHINBŌ axle, shaft SS1984:800. Suggest taking as ‘big’ 56,
BŌGURAFU bar graph as ‘two’ 65, and as club with two nails.
BŌbeni lipstick
Mnemonic: RESPECT DOUBLY BIG WOODEN
Seal (棓) . Shuowen has 棓 for this graph;
is a later (post-Shuowen) popular equivalent. CLUB WITH TWO NAILS THROUGH

The 181 Sixth Grade Characters 301

枚988 MAI the semantic range of is thought to have
extended from being a counter for horse whips
L3 counter (for flat items) to serve as a counter for various other objects
8 strokes too. Shirakawa notes that the bronze forms for

ICHIMAI one sheet have not ‘whip’ but ‘ax’, and on this basis he
NIMAIjita duplicity takes the original sense as ‘wood cut with an
NIMAIgai bivalve ax’. Flat, thin pieces of wood were then denoted
using this graph, and this gave a basis for using
OBI ; bronze ; seal . Has 73 ‘wood, it as a counter for other objects of similar shape.
tree’, and ( ) 112 ‘strike’ (originally, picto- YK1976:461-2; KJ1970:761; MS1995:v1:656-7;
graph of hand holding wooden whip or similar), SS1984:810.
typically taken as meaning ‘whip for striking
horse’ (Katō, Yamada, Mizukami), which is the Mnemonic: HAND HOLDS THIN FLAT
explanation given in Shuowen. In this analysis,
WOODEN STICK FOR COUNTING

幕989 MAKU, BAKU with associated sense ‘cover’, giving ‘cloth to
cover’, and by extension ‘curtain; tent’. The
L1 curtain, tent, military government (Shogunate 1192-1867)
act in drama was known as the ‘tent government’ (
13 strokes Bakufu, referring initially to a large tent acting
as field HQ), and so Shogunate/Bakufu became
TENMAKU curtain, tent an associated meaning for . YK1976:462;
KAIMAKU opening scene OT1968:319; KJ1970:774-5. Suggest taking
BAKUFU Shogunate as its original meaning ‘sunset’.

Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 1232 Mnemonic: DRAMATIC VIEW OF SUNSET
‘cloth’, and 809 (originally depicted sun set-
ting amongst trees or vegetation) as phonetic THROUGH CLOTH CURTAIN OF TENT

密990 MITSU, hisoka as phonetic with associated sense taken
as i) ‘silent’, giving ‘quiet house’ [Katō], or
L1 dense, secret as ii) ‘hemmed in’, giving ‘tightly packed’
11 strokes [Yamada, Tōdō]), giving ‘dense mountains’.
By extension, ‘deep inside’, and then ‘secret’.
MITSUDO density KJ1970:806-9; YK1976:464-5; TA1965:769;
MITSUYU smuggling MS1995:v1:378-9,368-9.
MENMITSU na detailed
Mnemonic: A DWELLING IN DENSE
Bronze ; seal . Has 26 ‘mountain, hill’,
and 宓 (CO, itself having 30 ‘roof, dwelling’, MOUNTAINS IS NECESSARILY SECRET
with 597 [modern meaning ‘necessarily’])

盟991 MEI clear’) as phonetic with associated sense ‘drink,
sip’, giving ‘drink blood from bowl’. In ancient
L1 alliance, pledge China, when nobles met to make an agree-
13 strokes ment they would drink blood taken from a
sacrificial animal as a pledge ritual. ‘Pledge,
RENMEI federation alliance’ are extended meanings. YK1976:469;
DŌMEI alliance MS1995:v2:1156-9,900-01; KJ1970:838-9;
KAMEI affiliation OT1968:692; SS1984:818-9,227.

OBI ; bronze ; seal . Early forms have Mnemonic: BRIGHT ALLIANCE PLEDGED
300 ‘dish, bowl’ or (rarely) 288 ‘blood’,
OVER BOWL – OF BLOOD?
beneath 囧 (‘lattice window, opening’ [origi-
nally a pictograph]) or 朙/ 228 (‘bright,

302 The 181 Sixth Grade Characters

模992 MO, BO amongst trees or vegetation) as phonetic with
associated sense ‘law, pattern’, giving ‘wooden
L1 copy, model, mold frame’ for making something (Ogawa says ‘as
14 strokes a copy’); ‘model; copy’ are extended senses.
KJ1970:775; YK1976:471; OT1968:520. Suggest
MOKEI model, mold taking as ‘plant’ 53, ‘sun’ 66, and ‘big’
MOSHA copy, copying
KIBO scale 56.

Seal ; late form (Shuowen). Has 73 ‘wood, Mnemonic: PLANT COPIES MODEL TREE AND
tree’, and 809 (originally depicted sun setting
GROWS BIG IN THE SUN
訳993 YAKU, wake
serve criminals’) as phonetic with associated
L1 translation, meaning sense ‘change’ (Ogawa says ‘extract’), giving
11 strokes ‘change words/language’, and so ‘translate’.
‘Meaning’ is an associated or extended
HON’YAKU translation sense. YK1976:475; KJ1970:93-4; SS1984:50;
TSŪYAKU interpreting OT1968:923. Take right part of modern form as
iiwake excuse person carrying backpack.

Seal ; traditional ; late graph (Shuowen). Mnemonic: PERSON TRANSLATING CARRIES
Has 118 ‘words; speak’, and (original A LOAD OF WORDS IN BACKPACK
meaning disputed; provisionally, ‘watch/ob-
as phonetic with associated sense taken either
郵994 YŪ as i] ‘flag fluttering /hanging down’, giving ‘flag
with orders, standing in village’ (Katō, Yamada),
L3 mail, post or as ii] ‘remote region’, giving ‘village in remote
11 strokes region’, with sense extended to ‘village serv-
ing as relay station’ (Ogawa, Shirakawa). By
YŪBIN mail, post extension, ‘mail’. KJ1970:31; YK1976:478-9;
YŪSŌ mailing OT1968:1022; SS1984:837.
YŪTAI mailbag
Mnemonic: MAILBAG LEFT DANGLING IN VILLAGE
Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has right-hand
determinative 376 (full form: ) ‘village, Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 41 ‘per-
settlement’, and 918 (‘hang down’, ‘dangle’) son’, and 2045 (‘grief, sorrow’) as phonetic
with associated sense taken as ‘dance with
優995 YŪ, yasashii, sugureru gestures’ (Tōdō and Ogawa also posit the
sense ‘elegant’), giving ‘dancing person’ and by
L3 superior, gentle, actor extension ‘actor’. KJ1970:36-7; YK1976:479-80;
17 strokes TA1965:229; OT1968:83.

YŪSHŪ excellence
YŪSEN priority
JOYŪ actress

幼996 YŌ, osanai Mnemonic: GENTLE ACTOR’S SUPERIOR

L3 infant, infancy DISPLAY OF PERSON’S GRIEF
5 strokes
OBI ; seal . Has 78 ‘strength’, with 29
YŌJI infant (‘delicate/fine thread’; originally, pictograph
YŌJI infancy of two fine threads intertwined [Mizukami])
osanago infant as phonetic with associated sense ‘small, tiny’,
giving ‘weak in strength’, and by extension
‘very young’. MS1995:v1:446-9; YK1976:481-2;
KJ1970:32; OT1968:124.

Mnemonic: INFANT SHORT ON STRENGTH,
LIKE DELICATE THREAD

The 181 Sixth Grade Characters 303

欲997 YOKU, hoshii Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 496 (orig-
inally, person yawning with mouth open wide;
L3 desire, greed ‘lack, omit’), and 135 (‘valley’) as phonetic
11 strokes with associated sense taken either as i] ‘continu-
ous’ (Katō, Yamada), or ii] ‘about to eat’ (Ogawa),
YOKUBŌ desire in either case giving ‘have mouth open’, and by
SHOKUYOKU appetite extension ‘appetite’. Later extended to ‘desire’
monohoshige wistful and ‘greed’ in general. KJ1970:888; YK1976:486-
7; OT1968:532.

Mnemonic: GREEDY PERSON LACKS VALLEY

SO DESIRES ONE

翌998 YOKU ‘wings, feathers’, with 77 ‘stand, leave’; the
latter element being taken in one analysis as
L3 next (in time) phonetic with associated sense ‘fly’ (Yamada),
11 strokes but another commentator rejects this, regard-
ing it as having a semantic function here,
YOKUJITSU the next day giving ‘raise the wings (in flight)’ (Tōdō). ‘Next’
YOKUCHŌ next morning appears to be a borrowed meaning, though
YOKUNEN the next year just possibly related to time flying. YK1976:487;
TA1965:87; OT1968:802; FC1974:v2:1772.
OBI ( ) ; seal ( ) . The more familiar
shape , with the same components arranged Mnemonic: THE WINGS OF TIME FLY
differently, is a popular form (quite late – ap-
pears to be Tang Dynasty onwards). It has 82 AWAY – TILL THE NEXT TIME

乱999 RAN, midareru/su it is thought to represent a curved knife with
blades at either end and a handle in the middle;
L3 disorder, riot here, perhaps rather a blunt instrument to help
7 strokes unravel thread. Bronze form B, tentatively iden-
tified by Katō (‘tentatively’, as he describes it as
RANBŌ violence ‘extremely unusual’) has a figure on the right
HANRAN rebellion which he interprets as ‘deformed, twisted’, and
midareashi out of step a left-hand part as phonetic with associated
sense ‘be shortened/reduced’, giving an original
Bronze form A , bronze form B ; seal ; meaning ‘be shortened’. As for the sense ‘dis-
traditional . The bronze forms are divergent, order’, this could have arisen through focusing
as are the analyses. Bronze form A, which is on the graph’s tangled thread rather than the
considered to be the ancestral (i.e. original) act of disentangling (Tōdō), or it could be a
form of , has one hand over and one hand loan usage. According to Shirakawa, initially
beneath some thread, taken to signify ‘unravel was used for ‘rebel, disorder’, and for ‘bring
tangled thread’ (Tōdō, Ogawa, Shirakawa); to order’, but later this distinction was lost.
commentators do not say so, but it appears However this came about, the sense ‘disorder’
that the thread might be tangled on a bob- has predominated. TA1965:555-7; OT1968:26-8;
bin (the shape in the middle of bronze form A, SS1984:865; KJ1970:895-6; FC1977:21.
similar to but turned ninety degrees). The
modern right-hand element is a variant of Mnemonic: KNEELING PERSON WITH

1072, which as an independent graph has TONGUE OUT MIGHT LEAD TO RIOT
been interpreted in various ways, but typically

304 The 181 Sixth Grade Characters

卵1000 RAN, tamago specific shape, but speculates to be possibly fish
L3 egg, roe, spawn or insect eggs. The alternative treatment also
takes as a pictograph, depicting not eggs but
7 strokes a pair of treadles on a loom, then borrowed on
the basis of similarity in shape to represent ‘eggs’
RAN’Ō egg yolk (Katō, Yamada). The former view seems tenta-
SANRAN spawning tive, the latter more persuasive. OT1968:147;
namatamago raw egg TA1965:555-6; KJ1970:146; YK1976:489-90. Sug-
gest taking as frog spawn on stalks.
Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Views diverge.
Several scholars take as a pictograph – Ogawa Mnemonic: SPOTTED BLOBS OF SPAWN ON
considers to originally denote frog spawn, and
by extension ‘egg’; Tōdō is uncertain over the TWO UPRIGHT STALKS

覧1001 RAN ‘bowl’ 300 in modern form), giving ‘super-
L1 see, look vise, watch’, thus ‘see, look’. Based on classical
Chinese usage, Shirakawa takes as action of
17 strokes high-ranking individuals, but Schuessler feels
it may just represent a variant of the word rep-
GORAN look, try resented by 1159. TA1965:807; YK1976:490;
KAIRAN circulation SS1984:866; AS2007:305-6.
KANRAN inspection
Mnemonic: SUPERVISOR LOOKS, BUT MISSES
Seal ; late graph (Shuowen); traditional .
Has 20 ‘see’, and 1l59 q.v., orig. ‘look at THE BOWL
water surface in bowl as mirror’ (but minus

裏1002 RI, ura ‘reverse’. Tōdō and Mizukami, though, take
L3 reverse, back, inside, associated sense of here as ‘fold, crease’,
and consider that fabric woven with stripes or
lining other pattern and folds/creases was often used
for garment linings, hence ‘back, reverse side’.
13 strokes Despite this divergence, all commentators as-
sociate the graph with garment linings, i.e. ‘un-
RIMEN inside, back derside’. YK1976:492; OT1968:906; SS1984:871;
urake fleece lining TA1965:102; MS1995:v2:1168-9.
urazukeru back up, support
Mnemonic: CLOTHING MADE AT REAR OF
Bronze ; seal . Has 444 ‘garment’, and
238 (‘village’) as phonetic with associated VILLAGE HAS GOOD LINING

sense usually taken as ‘inside’, giving ‘inside/
reverse side of garment’, then generalized to

律1003 RITSU, RICHI Bronze ; seal . Has 131 ‘go, walk, move’
L3 law, control and (originally, hand holding writing brush
> ‘write’, see 159) as phonetic with associated
9 strokes sense typically taken as ‘one’, giving ‘one path’,
and by extension ‘rule, law’. Mizukami also
HŌRITSU law gives an alternative, i.e. proposed associated
KIRITSU discipline sense ‘put in order’, giving ‘well-ordered path’.
RICHIGI integrity YK1976:494; KJ1970:55; MS1995:v1:484-5.

Mnemonic: MOVING HAND WRITES THE LAW

The 181 Sixth Grade Characters 305

臨1004 RIN, nozomu analysis on the basis that the early Chinese
L1 face, look out on, sound value of makes it unlikely as a phonetic
in , and so interprets it as with , to give
verge, attend ‘look down (from a platform or similar) on mer-
chandise’ (then presumably generalized to ‘look
18 strokes down’, etc.). Given Schuessler’s reconstructed
sound values for early Chinese, this interpreta-
RINJI temporary tion has some merit, and is favored by Ogawa
RINKAI littoral too. YK1976:500-01; TA1965:807; OT1968:830;
RINSEKI attendance KJ1970:132-3; TA1965:807; AS2007: 359,415.
Suggest taking as 543 ‘fixed eye’, / 41
Bronze ; seal . Has NJK ‘look down’, and ‘person’, and as boxed goods.
405 (‘goods’), typically taken as phonetic with
Mnemonic: PERSON FACES BOXED GOODS
associated sense ‘water’s edge’, giving ‘look down
from cliff near water’s edge’, then generalized WITH FIXED EYE
to ‘look down’, and associated meanings such
as ‘verge on; attend’. Tōdō, however, rejects this

朗1005 RŌ, hogaraka Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 18 ‘moon’,
L1 clear, fine, cheerful and , short form of 628 (‘good’) as phonetic
with associated sense ‘bright’, to give ‘bright
10 strokes moon’. Later generalized to ‘bright’; ‘clear’ and
‘cheerful’ are extended senses. YK1976:506;
MEIRŌ bright OT1968:482; KJ1970:894.
RŌHŌ good news
RŌDOKUHŌ elocution Mnemonic: GOOD MOON IS CLEAR AND

BRIGHT AND CHEERY

論1006 RON Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen). Has ‘speak;
L3 argument, opinion words’ 118, and 631 (originally, wooden
tablets [texts] bound in a roll) as phonetic
15 strokes with associated sense ‘order, sequence’, giv-
ing ‘discussion which follows sequenced
RONBUN thesis order’. YK1976:508; SS1984:889; KJ1970:912;
RIRON theory OT1968:936. Suggest taking 亼 as a cap.
RONRI logic
Mnemonic: THE WORDY ARGUMENT IS

CAPPED BY A SEQUENCE OF TEXTS

306 The 181 Sixth Grade Characters

THE REMAINING 1130 CHARACTERS

亜1007 A to a separate room/space (in northern China,
L1 next, sub-, Asia according to Mizukami). Misinterpreted in early
times as showing hunchbacks (as for example
7 strokes in Shuowen), leading to sense ‘inferior’, though
in fact this sense is a loan usage, as is ‘come
ANETTAI subtropics after, next’. Also used for ‘Asia’. MS1995:v1:32-3;
ŌA Eurasia KJ1970:509; OT1968:35.
ARYŪ follower
Mnemonic: THE NEXT FLOOR PLAN, FROM
OBI ; seal ; traditional . Originally show-
ing floor plan of pit dwelling in ancient China ASIA, IS SUB-STANDARD
with entrances on the four sides, each linked

哀1008 AI, aware/remu Bronze ; seal . Has 22 ‘mouth, speak
L1 sorry, pity words’, and 444 (‘garment’) as phonetic
with associated sense ‘sad’, giving ‘wail, lament’.
9 strokes MS1995:v1:224-6; KJ1970:1; OT1968:179;
AS2007:149.
HIAI sadness
AIKA dirge, elegy Mnemonic: MOUTH WAILS, CLOTHED IN
mono no aware pathos
SORROW

挨1009 AI (Tōdō suggests may be original way of writing
L1 push open (but used 848 ‘doubt’) but borrowed in early Chinese

only in greeting to represent a grammatical function word.
is treated in Shuowen as having a phonetic
[aisatsu])
function in , giving overall sense ‘hit on back,
10 strokes strike from behind’. Use of in ‘greeting’
is loan usage, only in Japanese; in modern Chi-
AISATSU greeting nese, core meaning of is ‘suffer’. TA1965:135-
BUAISATSU impoliteness 7; SS1984:7; DJ2009:v3:998. Take as nose and
AISATSUJŌ written notice
145 as ‘arrow’.
Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Limited use.
Has 34 hand, with , orig meaning unclear Mnemonic: HAND PUSHES ARROW UP NOSE

BY WAY OF GREETING!

曖1010 AI A late, post-Shuowen graph. Limited usage,
L1 dark, not clear usually linked with 1999 ‘dark’. It has
66 ‘sun’, and 441 (‘love’) as phonetic with
17 strokes associated sense ‘darken, be cloudy’, giving
‘dark’. It is somewhat ironic that the combined
AIMAI na vague elements of ‘love’ (albeit phonetically) and ‘sun’
AIMAIsa vagueness should produce a meaning ‘dark’/ ‘not clear’.
AIMAIya bawdy-house OT1968:475; SS1984:8.

Mnemonic: IT IS NOT CLEAR AS TO WHY

SUN-LOVERS ARE IN THE DARK

The Remaining 1130 Characters 307

握1011 AKU, nigiru Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen). Has 34
L1 grasp, grip ‘hand’, and 256 (‘building, dealer, storekeep-
er’) as phonetic with associated sense ‘press
12 strokes hard with the hand’, giving ‘grasp in the hand’.
Also used in the sense of being grasping, avari-
AKUSHU handshake cious. OT1968:422; KJ1970:4.
nigiriya miser
nigirimeshi rice-ball Mnemonic: GRASP STORE-KEEPER BY THE

HAND

扱1012 atsukau, koku Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen). Has 34
L1 treat, handle, thresh ‘hand’, and 1202 (‘reach, extend’) as pho-
netic with associated sense ‘take in, gather’,
6 strokes giving ‘take in/gather by hand’. In Japanese,
has taken on the meaning ‘handle, treat (as)’.
toriatsukai handling ‘Thresh’ is now a minor meaning in Japanese.
kokiatsukau keep busy OT1968:402; KJ1970:433-4; SS1984:172.
KYAKUatsukai hospitality
Mnemonic: REACH WITH HAND, THEN TREAT

CAREFULLY

宛1013 -ate, ateru, ategau, EN associated sense taken either as i] ‘bent,
L1 address, provide, curved’, giving ‘bent, curved’ (Ogawa, Tōdō),
or ii] ‘deep inside’, giving ‘deep inside a
supply, letter to palace’ (Katō). Note: Original meaning of

8 strokes is taken by Ogawa as ‘hemispherical
roof’, but by Tōdō as referring to a per-
atena address son bending over. Present meanings are
ategau provide, supply loan usages. OT1968:273; TA1965:611-21;
MoriSHI-ate to Mr Mori MS1995:v1:290-91; KJ1970:92. Suggest take

Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 30 as slumped/sleepy person.
‘roof, building’ with 夗 ‘bend over’ (itself
comprising 41 ‘person bent over’ with Mnemonic: SLEEPY PERSON SPENDS NIGHT
46 (‘evening’) as phonetic with associated
sense ‘round, surround’) as phonetic with UNDER ROOF, ADDRESS SUPPLIED

嵐1014 arashi, RAN Seal ; late graph (later Shuowen edition). Has
L1 storm 26 ‘mountain, hill’ over 217 ‘wind’, giving

12 strokes original meaning ‘mist hanging over mountains,
mist in wooded mountains’. ‘Storm’ evolved as a
ōarashi tempest Japanese-only sense. GY2008:439; OT1968:306;
yukiarashi snow storm SS1984:865.
Igarashi* a surname
Mnemonic: WIND IN THE MOUNTAINS MEANS

A STORM

308 The Remaining 1130 Characters

依1015 I, E, yoru OBI ; seal . Has 41 ‘person’, and 444
L2 depend, thus (‘garment’) as phonetic with associated sense
taken as i] ‘draw close, lean on’, giving ‘lean/
8 strokes depend on’ (Katō, Ogawa), or ii] ‘hide’, giving
‘rely on (something) to hide behind’ (Tōdō);
IRAI request Mizukami lists both interpretations. KJ1970:18-
IZEN as before 19; OT1968:57; TA1965:699-701.
EKOJI spite, stubbornness
Mnemonic: THUS, A PERSON DEPENDS ON

CLOTHES

威1016 I, odosu respected’, ‘mother-in-law’. (Note the English
L1 authority, threaten slang expression for a mother-in-law, ‘old
battle-ax’.) Later, the sense was general-
9 strokes ized to ‘fear, frightening’, and extended to
‘threat’. Note: Ogawa interprets the phonetic
IRYOKU authority element slightly differently as , another
IGEN dignity graph which refers to another type of battle-
odoshiMONKU threat ax. KJ1970:9-10; MS1995:v1:324-5,532-3;
OT1968:256.
Bronze ; seal . Has ‘woman’ 37, and
476/545 (‘type of battle-ax / halberd’) as Mnemonic: AUTHORITATIVE WOMAN

phonetic with associated sense ‘be afraid/ THREATENS WITH A BATTLE-AX
fearful’, giving ‘woman to be held in awe/

為1017 I, suru, nasu, tame been used in ancient times for heavy construc-
L1 do, make, purpose, tion work such as the building of palaces. Such
an analysis is regarded as inappropriate by
cause, reason Katō, who treats the meaning ‘make’ as a gener-
alized sense deriving from ‘make a gesture’.
9 strokes Schuessler, by contrast, treats ‘make’ (also an-
other related near-homophone ‘for, on behalf
KŌI action, act, deed of, because’) as a near-homophone in early
SEI* reason, cause Chinese of the word for ‘elephant’, and treats
shisugiru overdo the etymology as not clear. It seems a likeli-
hood that ‘make’ is a loan usage of the graph
OBI ; seal ; traditional . Has ( ) 1739
‘claw, talon’, (here, ‘hand’), and 540 (‘el- ; and the same applies to ‘purpose’, ‘cause’,
ephant; image’), taken in one analysis as pho- and ‘reason’. MS1995:v2:820-21; KJ1970:19;
netic with associated sense ‘shape, condition’, OT1968:631; AS2007:510; WB1994:60-62. Mne-
giving ‘gesture, make a gesture; imitate’ (Mizu- monically awkward, but we suggest remem-
kami, Katō), though the semantic progression bering by association with 190 ‘bird’.
here seems a little forced. Ogawa, alternatively,
takes semantically as ‘elephant’, giving ‘tame, Mnemonic: DO IT FOR THE PURPOSE OF
domesticate’, and Shirakawa also interprets in
similar vein, arguing that elephants would have MAKING ODD BIRD FROM ELEPHANT

The Remaining 1130 Characters 309

畏1018 I, kashikomaru, osoreru or similar weapon, giving ‘threaten’, and by
L1 fear, obey, awe extension ‘be afraid’. The meanings ‘be in awe,
obey’ are Japanese only. MS1995:v2:876-7;
9 strokes OT1968:670; TA1965:710-11. Suggest taking
upper part as ‘field’ 63 and lower as variant
IFU fear of ‘clothing’ 444.
IKEI awe
ISHUKU suru cower Mnemonic: I FEAR THAT IN AWE I OBEYED,

OBI ; seal . OBI form shows a demon-like LEAVING SOME CLOTHES IN A FIELD
figure with a large head holding aloft a club

尉1019 I cally as ‘buttocks, posterior’, but again giving
L1 military rank rise to the meaning ‘press down’, in the latter
analysis as an extended sense (Tōdō). Overall,
11 strokes the graph has the original meaning ‘iron’ (the
hand-held implement; later written ). Already
TAII captain used in Han dynasty China as the name of a
SHŌI ensign military rank (Qiu: ‘company grade military
IKAN company officer officer’). The latter sense appears to be a loan
usage. KJ1970:8-9; OT1968:288; SS1984:19;
Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Seal form QX2000:135-6. Suggest take graph as 256
shows 8 ‘fire’ as lower element, and 920 ‘corpse’, 723 ‘show’, and 920 ‘hand’.
‘hand/pulse’, combining with third element
(represented by first few strokes of the modern Mnemonic: HAND SHOWS CORPSE TO BE
graph) taken either as phonetic with associated
sense ‘press down’ (Katō, Ogawa), or semanti- SOLDIER OF RANK

萎1020 I, naeru, shibomu, Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 53
L1 shioreru ‘vegetation, grass’, and 245 (‘entrust’). The
function of the latter element is taken as pho-
droop, wither, wilt netic with associated sense ‘supple’, and by ex-
tension here as ‘soften, wilt’, giving ‘plants wilt/
11 strokes wither’. TA1965:618; SS1984:20. Suggest itemize
elements from , namely 37 ‘woman’ and
ISHUKU atrophy
IBI waning, decline 87 ‘grain plant’.
shiore languishing
Mnemonic: WOMAN ENTRUSTED WITH

PLANTS AND GRASS, BUT ALL WILTING

偉1021 I, erai Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 41 ‘per-
L2 great, grand son’, and (originally ‘patrol by going round
an enclosed area’, or ‘avoid, move away from’;
12 strokes see 446 and 1024) as phonetic with associated
sense ‘different, unusual, out of the ordinary’
IDAI grandeur (positive connotation), giving ‘unusual/
IJIN hero, prodigy outstanding person’. OT1968:76; SS1984:20;
eraBUTSU great person KJ1970:8; MS1995:v1:258-9.

Mnemonic: GREAT PERSON DIFFERS FROM

THE ORDINARY

310 The Remaining 1130 Characters

椅1022 I (associated sense unclear), meaning ‘(type of )
L1 chair catalpa tree’. The wood was sometimes used
for musical instruments as well as chairs; chair
12 strokes furniture was made in China from the Tang
Dynasty onwards, initially only for the elite.
ISU chair The meaning ‘chair’ evolved by association.
kurumaISU wheelchair OT1968:509-10; SS1984:20; DJ2009:v2:453.
nagaISU couch
Mnemonic: A CHAIR IS A STRANGE WOODEN
Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 73
‘wood, tree’, and 1174 (‘strange’) as phonetic THING

彙1023 I phonetic with associated sense ‘round, sur-
L1 ? compile, collect, round’, giving ‘animal which rolls into a ball’,
again giving ‘hedgehog’ (Tōdō). Despite the
classify diversity, scholars agree original meaning of

13 strokes is ‘hedgehog’; the later sense ‘collect’ is an
extended sense, based on the large number of
IHŌ bulletin densely-packed spines the animal has, giv-
GOI vocabulary ing an impression of being collected together.
JII dictionary OT1968:343; SS1984:21; TA1965:712-9. Suggest
using 454 for its meaning ‘fruit tree’, with head
Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Analyses vary. One part on top.
takes as originally a pictograph of a hedgehog
(Ogawa, Shirakawa). Alternatively, it is seen as Mnemonic: HEDGEHOGS ON TOP OF FRUIT
abbreviation of NJK ‘wild boar; hedgehog’,
with an abbreviation of 447 (‘stomach’) as TREES!? COLLECT AND CLASSIFY!

違1024 I, chigau OBI ; seal . Has 85 ‘walk, go’, and (origi-
L2 differ nal sense considered to be either ‘go in different
directions, move away from’ or ‘patrol by going
13 strokes round enclosed area’; see 446 and 1021), here
as semantic and phonetic with associated sense
SŌI difference ‘move away from’, giving ‘move away from’; ‘be
IHAN infringement different’ is an extended sense. QX2000:192;
machigai mistake KJ1970:8; MS1995:v2:1298-9,1436-8.

Mnemonic: MOVE AWAY IN A DIFFERENT

DIRECTION

維1025 I associated sense range ‘hold firmly, pull, dangle
L1 rope, tie, support and pull’, giving ‘rope for pulling’; in Shuowen,
further defined as the ropes for pulling the
14 strokes hood of a cart or carriage. Sense generalized
to ‘rope’, and by extension ‘tie’, and presum-
IJI upkeep ably also ‘strengthen/support’. KJ1970:13;
ISHIN restoration MS1995:v2:1016-18; OT1968:780.
SEN’I fiber
Mnemonic: ROPE THREADED THROUGH BIRD
Bronze ; seal . Has 29 ‘thread’, and
324 (‘short-tailed bird, bird’) as phonetic with HELPS SUPPORT IT

The Remaining 1130 Characters 311

慰1026 I, nagusami/mu/meru ‘press down’), taken either as phonetic with
L1 comfort, console, associated sense i] ‘become angry’, giving ‘anger
pent up in the heart’ (Katō), or ii] ‘press down’,
amusement giving ‘calm down the heart/feelings’ (Ogawa).
In the former interpretation, ‘console’ is a loan
15 strokes usage. Mizukami looks to list a bronze equiva-
lent. KJ1970:9; OT1968:384; MS1995:v1:522-3.
IMON consolation
IAN comfort Mnemonic: THE HEART OF A PERSON WITH
nagusamimono plaything
MILITARY RANK IS COMFORTING Or (see 1019):
Seal . Has 164 ‘heart, mind, feelings’, and
1019 (‘military rank’, but originally meant SHOW CORPSE’S HAND TO CONSOLE FEELINGS?!

緯1027 I, nuki Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 29
L1 horizontal, weft ‘thread’, and 446 (original sense ‘move away’
or ‘patrol round an area’) as phonetic with
16 strokes associated sense ‘surround’, thus ‘thread that
surrounds (the vertical thread)’, i.e. ‘horizontal
woof’. KJ1970:8; TA1965:718; OT1968:786.

Mnemonic: HORIZONTAL WEFT THREAD

DIFFERS IN DIRECTION TO WARP

壱1028 ICHI phonetic with associated sense ‘steamy, moldy’,
L1 one (formal) thus ‘wine ferments and jar fills up’ (Yamada, Shi-
rakawa, Ogawa). The sense ‘one’ is a loan usage,
7 strokes though possibly with a semantic component
also, according to Qiu. YK1976:58; KJ1970:28-30;
ICHIMAN’EN 10,000 yen QX2000:120,275; SS1984:27-8. Suggest as 521
ISSEN one thousand samurai, prone figure, and cover.
NIJŪICHI twenty-one

Seal ; late graph (post-Shuowen); traditional: Mnemonic: ONE SAMURAI STANDS

. Has ‘wine jar (bulbous, narrow neck COVERING PRONE FIGURE

opening out at rim)’, and 1196 (’auspicious’) as

逸1029 ITSU, soreru/rasu now corresponds to 2018 ‘avoid, escape’
L1 escape, go astray fast, (q.v.), there is no entry for in Shuowen –
and thus no seal form. However, a seal-style
excel equivalent for A) was created at a later date
(sometimes done), very close to seal form for B)
11 strokes
‘rabbit’ (NJK). Historically, we find variation
IPPIN fine article in the shape of the right-hand element of , in
soreya stray arrow what seems to be a degree of confused usage
ISSHUTSU escape between shapes A) and B). As is the case with

Bronze ; seal ; traditional . Bronze has ‘rabbit’, historically we find some fluctuation
85 ‘go, move’ and stylized depiction of lean- in the shape of graph 1029, though the latter
now has as its standard form in modern
looking animal, taken as hare/rabbit, thus ‘hare/ Japanese. MS1995:v2:1296-7; GY2008:1289;
rabbit escapes’ (Katō cautiously says ‘animal KJ1970:56-7,730.
escapes’). At seal stage, this animal is very styl-
ized. For the right-hand element of , which Mnemonic: MOVE FAST LIKE A RABBIT AND ESCAPE

312 The Remaining 1130 Characters

茨1030 ibara, SHI of writing . Reflecting the trend in script
L1 thatch, briar, bramble, development, from depicting the concrete to
representing the abstract, it is believed that
thorn
was the original way of writing ‘miscanthus’
9 strokes (and similar plants), after which the graph was
borrowed for its sound value to represent ‘next’,
IbarakiKEN* Ibaraki Prefecture with being added to indicate usage when
ibaramushi rose bug in the sense ‘miscanthus’. Present meanings
Ibaraki city in Osaka-fu now include ‘thorn, bramble’. MS1995:696-7;
DJ2009:v1:78; KJ1970:181-2.
Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 53 ‘plant,
vegetation’, and 308 (‘next’) as phonetic Mnemonic: THE NEXT PLANT AFTER THATCH
with associated sense ‘arrange’ (or ‘stop’),
giving ‘arrange plant material (on a roof )’, i.e. IS BRIAR
‘thatch’. is regarded as the original way

芋1031 imo of curved wood [variant shapes include 亐])
L1 potato as phonetic with associated sense ‘big, big
leaves’, giving ‘taro, sweet potato’ (a plant
6 strokes with big, heart-shaped leaves). In modern
times, sense extended to ‘potato’ in gen-
satoimo taro eral. MS1995:v2:1106-7,28-30; OT1968:842;
imogai cone shell KJ1970:70. Suggest taking as a peg.
yakiimo baked potato
Mnemonic: PEG OUT WHERE POTATO PLANTS
Bronze ; seal . Has ‘plant, grass’ 53,
and (NJK, originally pictograph of artefact ARE TO BE PUT

咽1032 IN, musebu/ru/ppoi, meaning possibly related to confinement)
L1 nodo as phonetic with associated sense taken as i]
‘drink’, giving ‘drink’, and by extension ‘throat’
throat, choke (Ogawa), or ii] ‘be blocked’, giving ‘choke’ (Tōdō);
Gu takes ‘be blocked, choke’ as a loan usage.
9 strokes OT1968:180; TA1965:787; GY2008:847. Suggest
take as 56 ‘large’ and 84 ‘enclosure’, as
INKŌ throat well as ‘cause’.
museppoi stuffy
INTŌ pharynx Mnemonic: CAUSE OF CHOKING MOUTH IS

Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 22 ‘mouth; THROAT BEING LARGELY ENCLOSED
speak’, and 643 (‘cause, depend on’; orig

姻1033 IN Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has ‘woman’
L1 marriage 37, and 643 ‘depend on, cause’ as semantic
and phonetic, meaning that which a woman
9 strokes depends on, i.e. ‘groom’s family’ and by as-
sociation ‘marriage’. KJ1970:62-3; OT1968:257;
KON’IN marriage SS1984:31. Take 56 as ‘big man’, and 84
INSEKI in-laws ‘enclosure, confined’.
INZOKUBATSU nepotism
Mnemonic: BIG MAN CONFINED BY WOMAN

AFTER MARRIAGE

The Remaining 1130 Characters 313

淫1034 IN, midara na interpreted variously, as follows: i] ‘ooze out’; ii]
L1 lewd, indecent, excess ‘water soaks in’ (Mizukami lists both i] and ii]);
iii] ‘put in with some strength/forcefully’; iv]
11 strokes ‘heavily indulge in’ (Mizukami). All these inter-
pretations are seen to involve a connotation of
INRAN lechery ‘excess’. Associated senses i] to iii] above give
IN’YOKU sexual desire overall meaning ‘water oozes out’, ‘water soaks
TAIN lustfulness in’, while iv] gives ‘be heavily addicted to evil
ways’; the latter is probably a later meaning, but
Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 42 now main one. KJ1970:64-5; MS1995:v2:756-7;
‘water, liquid’, and 㸒 (itself comprising [ OT1968:583; AS2007:573.
1739] normally ‘claw’, but here ‘hand’, with
Mnemonic: HANDLING SPINDLE IN WATER
777 [spindle] as phonetic with associated
sense ‘want’, giving ‘take what one wants’ SEEN AS EXCESSIVELY LEWD
[Katō]) taken as phonetic with associated sense

陰1035 IN, kage ‘dark side of a hill’, and hence ‘shade, shadow’.
L1 shadow, secret, By extension, ‘secret’. In Chinese culture, also
denotes the dark, negative principle (yin)
negative, dark in contrast to the bright, positive one (
yang; see 429). Mizukami lists bronze equiva-
11 strokes lents also. MS1995:v2:1396-7; OT1968:1068;
TA1965:815-23. Suggest take right side as
INKI gloom, sadness 138 ‘now’ and NJK ‘say, tell’ (also ‘cloud’: see
INBU private parts 83).
kageguchi backbiting
Mnemonic: IN THE DARK SHADOWS OF THE
Seal . Has ( ) 1907 ‘hill, piled-up earth’,
and (itself the earliest way of writing ) as HILLS WE CAN NOW TELL SECRETS
semantic and phonetic, meaning ‘dark’, giving

隠1036 IN, kakureru/su in anguish, lament’) as phonetic with associat-
L1 hide ed sense ‘hide’, giving ‘hide on a hill’; sense later
generalized to ‘hide’. Shirakawa, in contrast,
14 strokes adopts a characteristically idiosyncratic, ritual-
istic interpretation. OT1968:1074; KJ1970:62;
INKYO retirement ZY2009:v2:363; SS1984:34-5. Suggest take both
INJA hermit
kakureGA refuge and as hands, with 164 ‘heart/feelings’.

Seal ; late graph (Shuowen); traditional . Has Mnemonic: HIDE IN THE HILLS, BOTH HANDS
( ) 1907 ‘hill, piled earth’, and (CO, ‘be sad/ ON HEART

韻1037 IN Seal ; late graph (later version of Shuowen).
L1 rhyme, tone Has 6 ‘sound’, and 248 (originally,
‘round-necked vessel’; now ‘member, official’)
19 strokes as phonetic with associated sense ‘harmonize;
rounded, mild’, giving ‘harmonious/mild sound’.
INBUN poetry KJ1970:57; OT1968:1100; SS1984:36.
INRITSU rhythm
ON’IN phoneme Mnemonic: OFFICIAL’S RHYME SOUNDS TO

HAVE TONE TO IT

314 The Remaining 1130 Characters

唄1038 uta, BAI This is a late graph (post-Shuowen). Has
L1 song 22 ‘mouth; speak’, and 10 (‘shell, shell
currency’), here employed as phonetic purely
10 strokes for its sound value to represent an abbreviated
rendition of a Sanskrit word meaning ‘song to
kouta ditty, ballad extol merits of Buddha’; in Japanese, the mean-
JIuta folk song ing has broadened to now incorporate ‘folk
nagauta song for samisen songs’. OT1968:183; SS1984:685.

Mnemonic: PUTTING A SHELL TO ONE’S

MOUTH PRODUCES A SONG

鬱1039 UTSU ‘dense (forest)’ ( ), and the other ‘fragrant herb’
L1 melancholy, (Schuessler). Shirakawa considers form ii] may
have originally referred to a fragrant herb used
gloom, depression in scented wine, but that form ii] and then
came to be used interchangeably. This reflects
29 strokes the view of traditional scholarship (Kangxi zidian).
Mizukami, who gives what he regards as bronze
UTSUBYŌ depression equivalents for and form ii], lists both with
UKKI gloom, melancholy substantially overlapping meanings (core mean-
IN’UTSU na cheerless ing: trees and other vegetation growing togeth-
er in very close proximity), and treats ‘fragrant
Seal form i] (鬱) ; seal form ii] ( ) . Both herb’ as a loan use of form ii]. The above varia-
occur as traditional forms. Analyses differ. tions in form together with differences in treat-
The elements in are: 79 ‘forest’, 1141 ment of the component parts make this a
(originally ‘lidded earthenware pot/jar’, now ‘tin, challenging graph to analyze. SS1984:40-41;
can’), ‘cover’, ‘wine in vessel with fragrant MS1995:v2:1480-83; OT1968:530; TA1965:
herb added’, and 115 ‘adorn’ etc. Instead of 707-10; DJ2009:v2:492,418-9; KZ2001:361,378;
AS2007:513,592.
, form ii] has ‘two hands’. Shuowen defines
as ‘luxuriant tree growth’, and according to Mnemonic: IT’S DEPRESSING TO FIND A CAN
Shirakawa, this referred originally to a special
variety of wine with herbs, packed into jars. The IN A GLOOMY FOREST – A DOTTED WINE-VES-
Shuowen gives separate treatment to and
the similarly-shaped form ii]. The two graphs SEL WITH A COVER AND THREE SCRATCHES
appear to have represented two homopho-
nous words in early Chinese, one meaning

畝1040 une, uneru, se overall meaning. 676 (‘lasting’) is a phonetic
L1 ridge, furrow for hillock. Thus the ‘undulating contour of a
cultivated field’, and hence ‘ridge’ or ‘furrow’.
10 strokes Shape of phonetic became distorted over time
to combination of and . When read as se
unedate ridging/furrowing in Japanese, refers to unit of area, approx 100
unema space between ridges square meters (but in China, denotes 667
uneori ribbed fabric square meters). MS1995:v2:882-3; KJ1970:857-
8. Take as ‘hat’, ‘field’ 63, and ‘lasting’
Bronze ; seal . Bronze form has 63 ‘field’, 676.
and 225 (original sense possibly ‘abundant
plants’; now ‘each, every’) as phonetic with as- Mnemonic: TAKE ONE’S HAT OFF TO LASTING
sociated sense ‘ridge’, giving ‘field ridge’ (Katō,
Mizukami); Mizukami takes ‘field’/‘produce’ as WELL-FURROWED FIELD
an alternative associated sense, giving same

The Remaining 1130 Characters 315

浦1041 ura, HO ‘first time’) as phonetic with associated sense
L1 bay, inlet, coast as i] ‘side’, giving ‘water’s edge’ (Katō), or ii] ‘flat’,
giving ‘flat land next to water’ (Ogawa). Specific
10 strokes senses ‘inlet, bay’ reflect Japanese usage rather
than Chinese (flat land near ocean or river).
Urawa-Shi Urawa City KJ1970:856; OT1968:580.
uraji coastal road
urazato coastal village Mnemonic: SEE WATER FOR FIRST TIME AT

Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 42 water, COASTAL BAY
and NJK (orig possibly ‘use ax’, now means

詠1042 EI, yomu Bronze ( ) ; seal (Shuowen) . Bronze
L1 poem, recite, form has 22 ‘speak, mouth’, and 644
(‘long’) as semantic and phonetic, giving ‘speak
compose in a drawn-out manner’, as when reading out
Chinese and Japanese poetry. Shuowen has
12 strokes as the entry heading, but with also noted
as an alternative form. MS1995:v2:1190-91;
EIKA composition OT1968:923; KJ1970:78-9.
EISŌ poetry draft
EISHI epic Mnemonic: SPEAK FOR LONG TIME WHEN

RECITING POETRY

影1043 EI, kage 129 (‘light’) became associated with the
L1 shadow, image, light Yang principle (positive, strong, male), and
with the Yin principle (overcast, dark, negative,
15 strokes female), and at this point the determinative
element (posited meanings vary consider-
EIKYŌ influence ably: ‘light, adorn’ [Ogawa], ‘feathery’ ([Qiu]) was
EIZŌ shadow, image added. The possibility of a semantic association
kageMUSHA warrior’s double of ‘shadow’ with ‘light’ (shadow cast by light on
an object) is noted by Schuessler. SS1984:46;
Seal ( ) ; itself is not included in KJ1970:83; AS2007:576-7. Suggest taking as
Shuowen, but Shirakawa notes it reported as streams of rays of sunlight, and as ‘sun’ 66
occurring in a Han period stele. Another scholar over ‘capital’ 110.
(Katō) accounts as follows for the addition of
Mnemonic: STREAMING RAYS OF SUNLIGHT
115: originally written 494 (‘bright’), com-
prising 66 ‘sun’, with 110 (‘capital’) as pho- CAST SHADOWS IN THE CAPITAL
netic with associated sense ‘light’; later, though,

鋭1044 EI, surudoi Seal ; late graph (Shuowen); traditional
L2 sharp, keen form has (NJK ‘shaman’ 553) as right-hand
element. Has 16 ‘metal’, and (analyses
15 strokes include ‘open mouth with laughter, glad’ [Gu,
Schuessler,], and ‘one who pleases the deities’
EIRI na sharp, keen [Ogawa], ‘shaman’ [Katō]) as phonetic with
EIKAKU acute angle associated sense typically taken as ‘sharp,
SEIEI elite, ‘crack’ small and sharp’, giving ‘sharp edged tool/

316 The Remaining 1130 Characters

item’ (Ogawa, Katō), or – originally – ‘beard of today. GY2008:491,1443; AS2007:219,586;
wheat’ (Gu). The latter analysis gives ‘sharp’ OT1968:1043; KJ1970:602-4. Suggest as
as an extended sense, deriving from the fact ‘elder brother’ 114, as ‘away’ 70, and as
that a beard of wheat is the bristly material ‘money’.
surrounding the kernel, and also remind-
ing us that the ancients were so much more Mnemonic: ELDER BROTHER IS ALWAYS SHARP
closely in touch with nature than we are WHEN MONEY IS GIVEN AWAY

疫1045 EKI, YAKU Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 404
L1 epidemic ‘sick-bed, sickness’, and ‘strike’ 170, here
taken as abbreviation of 419 (‘role,
9 strokes service’) as phonetic with associated sense
taken as i] ‘go round’, giving ‘sickness which
BŌEKI disinfection goes round’, or ii] ‘disaster, calamity’; either
AKUEKI plague view gives overall meaning ‘epidemic’.
KEN’EKI quarantine KJ1970:87-8; SS1984:49; OT1968:677. Take
as ‘strike’.

Mnemonic: NEED SICK-BED WHEN EPIDEMIC

STRIKES

悦1046 ETSU Schuessler], ‘one who pleases the deities’
L1 joy [Ogawa], ‘shaman’ [Katō]), here as semantic
and phonetic, giving ‘one’s heart is glad;
10 strokes rejoice’. Shirakawa interprets similarly
here, i.e. ‘pray to the deities and be in ecstasy’.
KIETSU joy OT1968:371; KJ1970:602; GY2008:491,1141;
ETSURAKU enjoyment AS2007:219,586; SS1984:52. Take as ‘elder
MAN’ETSU delight brother’ 114, as ‘out’ 70.

Late, post-Shuowen graph; traditional form Mnemonic: ELDER BROTHER GIVES OUT
has 553 (‘shaman’) as right-hand ele-
ment. Graph has 164 ‘heart, feelings’, with FEELINGS OF JOY

(interpretations include ‘be glad’ [Gu,

越1047 ETSU, koeru/su Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has ‘run’ 179,
L2 cross, exceed, excel and (‘ax-like weapon’, ‘halberd’, see 476/545)
as phonetic with associated sense ‘leap, leap
12 strokes up, straddle’, giving ‘leap up and cross, cross
over’. KJ1970:96-7; OT1968:967; TA1965:637;
YŪETSU superiority AS2007:596.
EKKYŌ border violation
oikosu overtake Mnemonic: RUN WITH HALBERD TO CROSS

THE BORDER

The Remaining 1130 Characters 317

謁1048 ETSU ‘question loudly’ (Gu), thus ‘request’. Katō ac-
L1 audience (with high counts for the sense ‘audience, meeting with
someone of high status’ by noting that when
ranking person) seeking an audience, a request involved writ-
ing down the name of the audience-seeker,
15 strokes which was then presented to the person of
high status, and this gave rise to ‘audience’ by
HAIETSU audience association. MS1995:v1:148-9; GY2008:1336;
EKKEN audience KJ1970:97; OT1968:933. Note here is not
EKKENSHITSU chamber ‘smell’ 1821, though same shape. Take / as
‘day’ 66, as sitting person, and corner.
Seal ; late graph (Shuowen); traditional form
has on right. Has 118 ‘speak’, and (NJK Mnemonic: PERSON SITTING IN CORNER ALL

‘say, articulate’, with 匃 CO ‘stop and ask’, DAY TO SPEAK IN AUDIENCE
as phonetic having associated sense ‘stop,
detain’), thus ‘stop and question’ (Ogawa); or

閲1049 ETSU within the gates’, Ogawa adds ‘horses and vehi-
L1 inspection cles at mausoleum gates’). Katō, alternatively,
treats here not as ‘gate’ but as an abbrevia-
15 strokes tion of a more complex element consisting of
an archaic form of ‘under, go down’ 7 over
EPPEI troop review
KEN’ETSU censorship , which he asserts has the meaning ‘set out,
ETSURAN perusal arrange’; despite this different analysis of ,
the overall meaning Katō arrives at is similarly
Widely seen as 231 ‘gate’, and 553 (inter- ‘line up and count’. SS1984:52; OT1968:1061;
pretations include ‘be glad’ [Gu, Schuessler], KJ1970:602,604; AS2007:184,219; GY2008:491.
‘one who pleases the deities’ [Ogawa], ‘shaman’ Take as ‘elder brother’ 114, as ‘out’ 70.
[Katō]), here as phonetic with associated sense
‘count’, giving a core meaning ‘line up and Mnemonic: ELDER BROTHER GETS OUT OF
count’ (Shirakawa adds ‘horses and vehicles
GATE FOR INSPECTION

炎1050 EN, honō OBI ; seal . Has 8 ‘fire’ on top of another
L1 flame , taken to denote an intensified sense ‘vigor-

8 strokes ous fire; burn vigorously’ (Mizukami, Ogawa), or
to mean ‘light of fire rising upward’ (Qiu, Katō).
KAEN flame, blaze The latter is the explanation given in Shuowen.
NŌEN encephalitis MS1995:v2:796-7; OT1968:616; QX2000:199;
ENTEN scorching weather KJ1970:97.

Mnemonic: TWO FIRES MAKE A LOT OF FLAMES

怨1051 EN, ON, urami/mu Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 164
L1 grudge, malice ‘heart, mind’, and CO 夗 (see Note below),
as phonetic with associated sense taken as
9 strokes i] ‘accumulate’, thus ‘feelings are congested
or ‘unsettled’ (Katō), or ii] ‘bent, crooked’
SHIEN personal grudge thus ‘feelings are distorted’ (Ogawa). Note:
ONNEN grudge, malice meanings of 夗/ are ‘bend the body over’
uramigoto grudge (Katō), and ‘bend over/fall down’ (the latter is

318 The Remaining 1130 Characters

noted in Mizukami as an extended meaning). Mnemonic: PRONE FIGURE HAS A GRUDGE
OT1968:362-3; TA1965:611-21; KJ1970:91-g3; IN HIS HEART AT NIGHT
MS1995:v1:290-91. Take as prone figure and

as ‘evening, night’ 46.

宴1052 EN, utage thus ‘relax indoors’ (Ogawa); Schuessler also
L1 banquet, rest says ‘be at ease, rest, feast’. Shirakawa sees
妟 as original form of , taking 66 ‘sun’
10 strokes as jewel related to ritual. A more sexually-
orientated analysis also seems possible
ENKAI banquet for this graph. Katō treats the meaning of
ENRAKU revelry banquet as loan usage, though a case could
SHUEN drinking bout be made for an extended meaning, particu-
larly following Schuessler. KJ1970:99-100;
Bronze ; seal . Has 30 ‘roof, build- OT1968:277; MS1995:v1:372-3; SS1984:53-
ing’, with CO 妟 (‘woman flirting captivat- 4,56; AS2007:556.
ingly’ [Katō]) as phonetic with associated
sense taken either as i] ‘charming, beautiful’, Mnemonic: BANQUET PROVIDED BY WOMAN
thus ‘room made charming and beautiful
by a woman living there’ (Katō), or ii] ‘relax’, IN RESTFUL SUNNY BUILDING

媛1053 EN, hime Seal ; late graph (Shuowen); traditional
L1 princess, young noble form has NJK as right-hand element. Has

lady 37 ‘woman’, and (now means ‘here’ but
originally ‘pull’; OBI form shows an object being
12 strokes pulled from above by / 1739 ‘claw’ [here
‘hand’] and from below by 2003 ‘hand’)
SAIEN talented woman as phonetic with associated sense ‘beautiful,
EhimeKEN Ehime Prefecture graceful’, thus ‘beautiful woman’. OT1968:260;
hime princess MS1995:v2:818-20; SS1984:55-8; KJ1970:107-8;
DJ2009:v3:1021.

Mnemonic: PRINCESS-LIKE WOMAN PULLED

BY HANDS FROM ABOVE AND BELOW

援1054 EN pulled from above by / ‘claw’ 1739 [here
L1 help as ‘hand’] and from below by 2003 ‘hand’;
Katō takes the object as jade disc) as phonetic
12 strokes with associated sense ‘pull’, giving ‘pull, pull
up’, and by extension ‘assist’. was originally
ENJO assistance written , with added later for clarity so as
ŌEN backing, aid to distinguish the meaning from ‘jade disc
SEIEN vocal support for pulling’, which was a symbol of authority.
OT1968:422; SS1984:58; KJ1970:107-8.
Seal ; late graph (Shuowen); traditional form
has NJK as right-hand element (see 1053). Mnemonic: THREE HANDS TO HELP
Has ‘hand’ 34, and (‘pull from above
and below’; OBI form shows an object being

The Remaining 1130 Characters 319

煙1055 EN, kemuri, kemui burner covers and obscures things’, though the
L2 smoke, ill at ease latter seems speculative. Seal form is taken as
‘fire’, with 垔 as phonetic with associated sense
13 strokes ‘obstruct’, construed as ‘fire burns but air flow is
blocked and fire smoulders’. Tōdō takes associ-
ENTOTSU chimney ated sense instead as ‘obscure, conceal’. In all of
KIN’EN ‘no smoking’ the above, ‘smoke’ represents a derived sense.
tabako* tobacco OT1968:623; MS1995:v2:804-5; KJ1970:107. Sug-
gest take 垔 as 169 ‘west’ and 64 ‘ground’.
OBI (垔) ; seal . Has 8 ‘fire’, and CO
垔 (originally ‘block’). OBI shows smoke from Mnemonic: FIRE IN THE WESTERN GROUND
incense burner, taken by Ogawa as ‘produce
smoke’; Mizukami takes as ‘smoke from incense PRODUCES SMOKE

猿1056 EN, saru the left-hand form of ‘dog’ 19 in compound
L1 monkey, ape graphs, but often used in a wider sense as ‘ani-
mal’, as here. In earlier form , 1053 is both
13 strokes semantic and phonetic, meaning ‘pull, pull up’,
thus ‘animal which pulls itself up (in trees), i.e.
RUIJIN’EN anthropoid ‘monkey’. 84 (‘long/flowing garment’) seems
YAEN wild monkey to have replaced purely for its phonetic
sarumaneya copycat function here. DY2009:v3:1098; ZY2009:v2:718;
SS1984:59; OT1968:901.
Seal (蝯) ; late graph (Shuowen). The 6th
century Yupian gives as the orthodox form Mnemonic: ANIMAL WITH LONG GARMENT IS
(main form) of this graph, and notes as a
popular form. Later prevailed and is listed A MONKEY, APING SOMEONE
as the main form in Kangxi zidian. It has ,

鉛1057 EN, namari as ‘black tinged with blue’. Katō sees it as ‘white’,
L1 lead (metal) maintaining that in ancient times lead and tin
(the latter a whitish alloy) were not well distin-
13 strokes guished, thus the association between lead and
white. However, Shuowen itself defines ‘lead’
AEN zinc and ‘tin’ contrastively, explaining ‘lead’ as ‘a
KOKUEN graphite blue metal’, and NJK ‘tin’ as ‘a metal between
ENPITSU pencil silver and lead’. OT1968:1038; KJ1970:106;
DJ2009:v3:1140-41. Take 㕣 as ‘out’ 70 and
Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 16 ‘metal’, ‘holes’ 22.
and 㕣/㕣 832 (‘cave/hole from which water
gushes forth’) as phonetic with associated Mnemonic: METAL TAKEN OUT OF HOLES IS LEAD
sense taken variously by scholars. Ogawa sees it

縁1058 EN, fuchi Seal ; late graph (Shuowen); traditional form
L1 edge, relations, . Has 29 ‘thread’, and (‘boar’ or similar)

ties, fate as phonetic with associated sense ‘edge’, giving
‘edge of fabric’. Tōdō includes in word-family
15 strokes ‘fall down’, thus ‘hanging edge of fabric’, Shi-
rakawa says ‘embroidered edge’. ‘Ties, relations’
ENgawa verandah are extended senses. OT1968:784; TA1965:539-
fuchinui hemming 46; SS1984:60; DJ2009:v3:1067.
ENDAN marriage proposal
Mnemonic: BOAR TIED WITH THREAD IS

EDGY ABOUT FATE

320 The Remaining 1130 Characters

艶1059 EN, tsuya(ppoi) pictograph of a lidded container with some-
L1 luster, gloss, romantic, thing piled up inside). Analyses of the earlier
form with vary: Shirakawa says ‘abundant
charm offerings’; Tōdō, in contrast, takes here as
phonetic with associated sense ‘totally full’ (in
19 strokes this latter case the form , of later provenance
and listed in Yupian, means ‘abundant good
ENSHO love letter looks’ [Ogawa]). OT1968:841,691; SS1984:61.
ENBI beauty, charm
tsuyagami glossy paper Mnemonic: ABUNDANCE OF COLOR IS

Late graph (post-Shuowen). The earlier Shuowen CHARMING AND ROMANTIC
equivalent has 811 ‘abundant (grain, etc.)’,
with not 162 ‘color; sex’ but (CO; originally,

汚1060 O, kegare/ru/su, yogore- made of a curved piece of wood; variants
L2 ru/su, kitanai include 亐: see also 1031) as phonetic with
associated sense ‘a hollow, cavity’, giving ‘accu-
dirt, dishonor mulated/stagnant water’. ‘Dirty’ is an extended
sense, incorporating both physical dirt and ab-
6 strokes stract in a sense such as ‘dirty’ trick. OT1968:557;
KJ1970:70-71; TA1965:418-20. Suggest taking
OSEN pollution 亐 as twisted peg.
OSHOKU bribery
yogoremono dirty laundry Mnemonic: TWISTED PEG IN THE WATER IS

Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 42 ‘water’, PROBABLY DIRTY
and (NJK originally pictograph of an artefact

凹1061 Ō, hekomu, boko A late graph (Six Dynasties onwards). Pictorial
L1 concave, hollow, dip, representation of a concave shape, meaning
‘concave, a depression’, with a range of extend-
dent, yield to ed meanings. Contrasts with 1804 ‘convex’.
OT1968:108; QX2000:54; SS1984:63.
5 strokes
Mnemonic: A CONCAVITY HOLLOWED OUT
ŌMEN concavity
dekoboko unevenness OF A SQUARE
hekomi a dent, a hollow

押1062 Ō, osu Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen). Has 34
L2 push ‘hand’, and 1318 (‘shell; 1st in series’) as pho-
netic with associated sense ‘press down, press’,
8 strokes thus ‘push with hand’. KJ1970:2; OT1968:406;
TA1965:857.
ŌSHŪ confiscation
oshiire closet Mnemonic: SHELL PUSHED INTO HAND
teoshiguruma wheelbarrow

旺1063 Ō, sakan Late graph, listed in Yupian with meaning
L1 flourishing, beautiful, given as ‘pale halo around the sun’. Later used
in sense ‘beautiful’; this is the sense of CO 暀
fine (believed to be original way of writing )
noted in Shuowen. ‘Flourishing’, ‘fine’ may be
8 strokes extended meanings. SS1984:64; OT1968:461;
DJ2009:v2:540. Suggest taking 66 as ‘day’
ŌSEI fine condition rather than ‘sun’, and as ‘king’ 5.
ŌSEI na excellent
sakan na flourishing Mnemonic: KING FOR A DAY – JUST FINE

The Remaining 1130 Characters 321

欧1064 Ō ‘bend over’, giving ‘bend over and vomit’. In
L2 Europe
the early modern period, was employed for

8 strokes its sound value and despite – or because of –

its negative sense (quite possibly a carry-over

ŌSHŪ Europe from the Edo period, or from earlier Chinese
ŌBEI the West
ŌSHIKAN Eustachian tube orthographic usage) to write Yōroppa

‘Europe’, a practice which has provided the

Seal ; late graph (Shuowen); traditional basis for using today as a convenient
. Has 496, ‘open mouth, yawn; lack, be
one-graph writing in SJ compounds, mean-
missing’ (‘bend over’ is another meaning’),
with 282 (‘divide things up small’, small’) ing ‘Europe’. Modern form simplifies to ,
as phonetic with associated sense ‘vomit,
disgorge’, giving ‘open mouth and vomit’ as in 282 (ward, section). MS1995:v1:700-1;
(Katō, Ogawa). Alternatively, Tōdō takes as
OT1968:545; KJ1970:3.

Mnemonic: SECTION OF EUROPE IS MISSING

殴1065 Ō, naguru Bronze ; seal ; traditional . Has
L1 hit, beat, assault 170 ‘hand holding stick or similar’ (Mizukami
and Katō say ‘stick made of bound bamboo’),
8 strokes and / 282 (‘divide things up small,
small’) as phonetic with associated sense
ŌDA blow, assault ‘hit, strike’, giving ‘hit with stick (or similar
nagurikomi a raid, assault weapon)’. MS1995:v1:700-01,162-3; KJ1970:3;
naguriau trade blows OT1968:545. Take as ‘section’ 282.

Mnemonic: BEAT WITH A SECTION OF STICK

翁1066 Ō, okina neck’, giving‘bird’s neck/head feathers’(Ogawa,
L1 old man, venerable Shirakawa). However, Shirakawa also notes that

10 strokes seems to have been used as a loan graph for
‘old man’from Han times, echoed by Schuessler
RŌŌ old man (‘old man; father’), who also links it to another
SON’Ō village elder near-homophone in early Chinese meaning‘male
Uda Okina Old Man Uda of older generation, higher rank to whom respect
is due’. OT1968:801; SS1984:65; AS2007:515,255.
Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 82‘wing,
feathers’, and 126 (‘public, fair’), sometimes Mnemonic: VENERABLE OLD MAN RUFFLES
taken as phonetic with associated sense‘head,
FEATHERS IN PUBLIC

奥1067 Ō, oku under a covered interior’, but Tōdō rejects this
L2 (deep) inside approach, arguing it is semantic in function (‘scat-
ter rice grains’), here meaning‘things are stored
12 strokes under cover’. Shirakawa’s analysis is‘place (under
a roof) to offer up meat’. KJ1970:113; TA1965:227-
okusoko inner depths 30; SS1984:67.‘Inside’is now the main meaning.
okusama wife (of another) Take as 220‘rice’under big roof, and 56 as
ŌGI/okuGI mysteries ‘big’.

Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 30‘roof, Mnemonic: INSIDE BIG-ROOFED BUILDING IS
building’, and ( ’scatter seed’over ‘two
hands’), which has various interpretations. Katō BIG STORE OF RICE
takes it as phonetic with associated sense‘warm

322 The Remaining 1130 Characters

岡1068 oka, KŌ ‘elongated mountain peak’, and by extension
L3 hill, knoll ‘ridge, hill’ (Mizukami, Katō), or ii] ‘swell, rise’,
thus ‘hill/mountain ridges risen up’ (Ogawa).
8 strokes Qiu also notes that when is used as phonet-
ic, it is written , as in this graph. KJ1970:159;
okame bystander, onlooker QX2000:181; MS1995:v1:418-9. For central part
OkayamaKEN Okayama Prefecture we suggest using 1141 (‘can’) as ‘strange’
Okamoto a surname variant.

Bronze ; seal . Has 26 ‘mountain, Mnemonic: MANY STRANGE CANS ARE
hill’, with as variant of / 570 ‘net’ as
phonetic with associated sense taken either as NETTED IN THE HILLS
i] ‘elongated place strung out like a net’, thus

憶1069 OKU origin also had much the same meaning (see
L1 think, remember 246), and it appears that was later devised
mainly to represent the sense ‘remember’, and
16 strokes
was used more for ‘thought, intention, will’.
KIOKU memory Schuessler treats the words represented by
TSUIOKU reminiscence these two graphs in early Chinese as near-
OKUSOKU speculation homophones ( : ‘thought, intention, will’, cf.

Late, post-Shuowen graph. Has 164 ‘heart, : ‘one’s thoughts; to remember’), as does
mind’, with 246 ‘mind, thought’; the latter is Tōdō. KJ1970:17; OT1968:389; BK1957:252;
treated in one analysis as phonetic with associ- AS2007:570; TA1965:135-8.
ated sense ‘be stagnant/blocked’, giving ‘one’s
mind is stagnant’, i.e. things such as informa- Mnemonic: A THOUGHT IN THE HEART IS A
tion or feelings are stored (Katō). However, in
THOUGHT REMEMBERED

臆1070 OKU unclear [Gu]); it notes the now standard form
L1 timidity, fear with 246 ‘thought’ as alternative; Tōdō takes

17 strokes here as having associated sense ‘suppress’,
giving ‘suppress bodily feelings’. Later used in
OKUBYŌmono coward extended senses such as ‘heart, mind, one’s
OKUSOKU speculation thoughts’. ‘Timid, cowardly’ is Japanese-only
OKUMEN naku brazenly usage. GY2008:1948; OT1968:828.

Seal ( ), ; late graph (Shuowen). Shuowen Mnemonic: THINKING ABOUT FLESH MAKES
heading has 209 ‘flesh/ meat, body’, and
1072 (‘knife’) as phonetic (associated sense SOME PEOPLE TIMID

虞1071 osore, GU OBI ; bronze ; seal . Has ‘tiger’
L1 fear, anxiety 297/1301 (here, ‘tiger-like creature’), with

13 strokes 1311 (‘give’,) as phonetic with associated
sense ‘make up a pair’ or ‘(playfully?) bite each
YŪGU distress other’, giving ‘gentle tiger-like female animal’
FUGU unexpected (Mizukami). The present meaning seems to be
GUBIJINSŌ poppy confusion with 2086 ‘concern’. KJ1985:538;
MS1995:v2:1140-1; OT1968:882.

Mnemonic: TIGER GIVES ONE FEAR AND ANXIETY

The Remaining 1130 Characters 323

乙1072 OTSU, ITSU carving (or as weapon), with two blades and an
L1 b, 2nd, quaint, odd intervening handle in the middle. Gu, however,
takes it as a sprout of vegetation breaking
1 stroke through the soil surface. Loan usage for ‘2nd in
series’, denoting the second of the sequenced
otome* maiden series of Ten Celestial Stems in traditional Chi-
otsu ni strangely nese culture. ‘Odd, strange’ is noted by Ogawa
KŌ-OTSU-HEI ABC as a Japanese-only sense. So too is ‘chic, stylish’.
KJ1970:937-8; OT1968:26; MR2007:513; GY
OBI ; bronze ; seal . The very simple and 2008:443,3.
non-distinctive shape makes analysis diffi-
cult: views include the bent shape of a young Mnemonic: QUAINT TWO-BLADED
plant in spring and fish entrails, but modern
scholars tend towards interpreting as a type IMPLEMENT COMES SECOND IN ORDER
of implement, specifically a curved knife for

俺1073 ore, EN Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 41
L1 I/me (slang term) ‘person’, and NJK (‘cover’) as phonetic
(associated sense unclear). Shirakawa sug-
10 strokes gests that the graph may represent what
was originally a loanword from the northern
orera/oira* we, us regions. Mizukami analyzes based on
ore-omae slangy intimacy bronze and seal forms as comprising 56
ore no my ‘big’ (but here meaning ‘cover from above’),
with 338 ‘say’, here meaning ‘grow up-
wards’, giving ‘cover from above something
growingupwards’. TA1965:56; OT1968:68;
MS1995:v1:300-01.

Mnemonic: SAY, BIG GUY, WHAT ABOUT ME?

卸1074 orosu, oroshi [chariot’]); ‘unload’ may be extended sense,
L1 wholesale leading to‘wholesale’. Katō treats the graph
(seal stage onwards) differently, taking it as
9 strokes made up of and ; the latter is an obscure
element/graph listed in neither Shuowen nor
oroshiuri wholesale Kangxi zidian (and made up of ‘submis-
oroshiSHŌ wholesaler sive person’, with 122 ‘pestle’ [now ‘noon’]
oroshineDAN trade price here acting as phonetic for ‘confined’), taken
by Katō provisionally as ‘confined slave’
OBI ; seal . Views vary. Gu sees OBI form and then in extended sense ‘horse groom’;
as a person kneeling ( ) before some sort combined with , this gives his proposed
of device as part of ritual to expel demons. original meaning ‘horse groom drives horse’.
In seal form onwards, the role of lower-left KJ1970:849-50; SS1984:392; GY2008:868. We
suggest taking 1214 ‘honorable’ and re-
143 (usually ‘stop’, but in some graphs moving the movement determinative 131.
can conversely indicate foot actions, hence
movement) is thought to emphasize move- Mnemonic: WHOLESALE MARKET
ment in the act of expelling. Shirakawa also
adopts ritualistic approach. Karlgren, Mizuka- HONORABLE BUT LACKS MOVEMENT
mi and Gu all treat as early way of writing
for 1214 (q.v.; original meaning: ‘drive

324 The Remaining 1130 Characters

穏1075 ON, odayaka Shirakawa asserts there are no actual examples
L1 peace, moderation of usage of in the sense ‘trample and collect
grain’, and rather the sense is always ‘quiet, tran-
16 strokes quil’. In consequence, Shirakawa interprets the
seal form of as two hands positioned beside
ONWA moderation (one above, one below) a receptacle used in a
ONTŌ na reasonable ritual to conceal a deity, beneath which 164
HEION calm ‘heart, mind’ is positioned as semantic, giving
‘be respectful/sad’. In analyses i] and ii], ‘gentle’
Seal ; in later Shuowen version; traditional is treated as a loan usage, while Shirakawa
. Has 87 ‘grain plant’ with (‘be sad/re- takes it as an extended sense. KJ1970:61-2;
OT1968:737; TA1965:699-701; SS1984:69,34.
spectful when ritualistically hiding a deity’; see
below) as phonetic with associated sense taken Mnemonic: HANDS HOLD GRAIN PLANT
in ways which include i] ‘strike/trample, and
collect’, giving ‘collect grain ears’ (Ogawa, Katō), NEXT TO HEART AS TOKEN OF PEACE
and ii] ‘conceal’, giving ‘conceal collected grain
(so as not to be prominent)’ (Tōdō). However,

佳1076 KA Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen). Has 41 ‘per-
L1 beautiful, good son’, and NJK (‘angle’, ‘jewel’ [orig. ‘ceremonial
jade’]) as phonetic with associated sense ‘smart,
8 strokes beautiful, good’, giving ‘splendid, beautiful per-
son’; ‘good’ is a generalized sense. KJ1970:138;
KAJIN a beauty, belle OT1968:58; SS1984:72-3. We suggest taking
ZEKKA no superb as double 64 ‘ground’.
KASAKU a fine work
Mnemonic: GOOD PERSON COVERS TWICE

THE GROUND

苛1077 KA, ijimeru, sainamu phonetic with associated sense taken as i]
L1 torment, bully, harsh, ‘small’, giving ‘’small plant’ (Ogawa, Mizu-
kami), or ii] ‘highly stimulatory’, giving ‘plant
chastise causing highly stimulatory taste when eaten’
(another sense listed by Mizukami). Senses
8 strokes such as ‘charge (with a crime)’ and ‘cruel’ are
loan usages. OT1968:847; MS1995:v2:1110-11;
ijime bullying GY2008:558.
iradatsu be irritated
KASEI caustic Mnemonic: BULLYING CAN MAKE PEOPLE

Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen). Has 53 EAT GRASS
‘plant, vegetation’, and 655 (‘can do’) as

架1078 KA, kakaru/keru A late, post-Shuowen graph. Has 73 ‘wood,
L1 build, span, frame tree’, and 453 (‘add, join’) as phonetic with
associated sense ‘build up pieces of wood
9 strokes together’, i.e. ‘assemble together, build over’,
sometimes with a connotation of height.
KADŌKYŌ overbridge KJ1970:116; SS1984:74. Suggest taking 73 as
SHOKA bookshelf ‘wood’ and 453 as ‘add’.
KAKŪ aerial, fanciful
Mnemonic: ADD WOOD TO BUILD UP SPAN

OF FRAME

The Remaining 1130 Characters 325

華1079 KA, GE, hana as original way of writing . Seal form has
L1 flower, showy, China with ( ) 53 ‘plants, vegetation’. Qiu says ele-
ment is a corrupted form of that appeared
10 strokes from clerical script onwards. Qiu also says that
9 ‘flower, blossom’ evolved through substitution
KABI splendor, color based on its sound value of 258 ‘change’ for
CHŪKA- Chinese-
hanabanashii brilliant in the graph . MS1995:v1:78-9; KJ1970:314;
KJ1970:314-5; QX2000:336-7; SS1984:76-7. Take
Bronze ; seal . Originally pictograph of veg- as ‘seven-leaved’ (strokes) plant.
etation growing luxuriantly, meaning ‘blossoms
of plants/trees’. Bronze form has ‘blossoms Mnemonic: SHOWY CHINESE PLANT HAS
begin to open’, taken by both Mizukami and Katō
SEVEN STROKE-LIKE LEAVES

菓1080 KA as simply an expanded version of , both
L2 cake, candy, fruit meaning ‘fruit’. (A similar example given by Qiu
is ‘garden’, having same meaning as 84
11 strokes ‘garden’). In modern Japanese, both graphs
share sense ‘fruit’, but only is used for ‘con-
KASHI candy, cake fectionery/cakes’. AS2007:269; GY2008:626-7;
BEIKA rice crackers QX2000:228,181-2. Take as ‘tree’ 73 and
mizugashi fruit as ‘field’ 63.

Late post-Shuowen graph. Has 454 ‘fruit; Mnemonic: TREE PLANTED IN FIELD
result’, and 53 ‘plant, vegetation’ added. It
is not clear that and ever represented PRODUCES FRUIT – AND CAKES!
two separate words in early Chinese; Qiu treats

渦1081 KA, uzu down, distorted’, giving overall meaning ‘water
L1 whirlpool, eddy dips down’, i.e. ‘eddy, whirlpool’. Note: has
22 ‘mouth, cavity’, with 冎 as phonetic with as-
12 strokes sociated sense ‘slanted, distorted’, thus ‘distort-
ed mouth’ (after a seizure [Katō]). OT1968:594;
uzumaki eddy, vortex KJ1970:311-2; TA1965:628; SS1984:78. Take
uzuSEN spiral line as ‘topless tower’.
KACHŪ maelstrom

Late, post-Shuowen graph. Has 42 water, Mnemonic: WATER COLLECTS IN TOPLESS

and 659 (‘distorted mouth’) as phonetic with TOWER, CAUSING WHIRLPOOL

associated sense taken as ‘hole/cavity, dipping

嫁1082 KA, yome, totsugu sense ‘dressed up’, giving ‘woman who is
L1 marry, bride dressed up’ (Katō), in either case giving ‘bride,
go as a bride’. Tōdō includes in a word-family
13 strokes meaning ‘cover something underneath’; this
may be taken as in broad agreement with Katō’s
hanayome bride analysis of the phonetic. Tōdō also regards
yomeiri marriage, wedding
SAIKA remarriage as representing a word probably derived
from that underlying , a view which is sup-
Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 37 ported by Schuessler. OT1968:261; KJ1970:125;
‘woman’, and 89 ‘house, family’; is taken TA1965:381-3; AS2007:300-01.
here as i] semantic and phonetic, giving ‘a
woman gains a house/family to settle down Mnemonic: WOMAN IN HOUSE IS MARRIED
in’ (Ogawa), or as ii] phonetic with associated
BRIDE

326 The Remaining 1130 Characters

暇1083 KA, hima, itoma phonetic with associated sense taken either as
L1 leisure, free time i] ‘gap, space’, giving ‘day where there is a gap/
space’, or ii] ‘stay, be’, giving ‘be at home all day in
13 strokes leisurely manner’ (Ogawa). In Shirakawa’s view,
bronze forms of show one or two hands tak-
KYŪKA break, holiday ing material (possibly raw jade) from an enclosed
YOKA leisure space. SS1984:78-9,74; KJ1970:121; OT1968:473;
himadoru be tardy MS1995:v1:198-200. Take as variant 170
‘tool in hand’, and as variant 120 ‘door’.
Bronze ( ) ; seal ( ) ; late graph (Shuow-
en). Has 66 ‘day’, and (CO; orig. meaning: Mnemonic: USE TOOL IN HAND TO FIX DOOR
‘unpolished/blemished jade’ [Shirakawa], or
‘person wearing mask’ [Katō, Mizukami]) as ON DAY OF LEISURE

禍1084 KA, wazawai Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 723 ‘altar’
L1 disaster, calamity (by extension ‘deity’), and 659 (‘distorted
mouth’) as phonetic with associated sense
13 strokes taken as i] ‘rebuke; displeased’ (Katō, Tōdō),
or ii] ‘cruel death’ (Ogawa), both giving same
KAFUKU ups and downs overall sense ‘divine punishment’. KJ1970:311-2;
SAIKA calamity TA1965:628; OT1968:725. Suggest take as
KAKON root of evil topless tower.

Mnemonic: TOPLESS TOWER HAS ALTAR BUT

STILL A DISASTER

靴1085 KA, kutsu a foreign loanword into Chinese (Ogawa sug-
L2 shoe gests from the language of the Xiongnu) which
itself initially denoted long riding boots. In the
13 strokes graph 鞾, the phonetic function of the right-
hand element was later taken over by 258
SEIKA shoemaking ‘change’, quite possibly with a semantic conno-
kutsushita sock tation also. In Japanese usage at least, the sense
nagagutsu boot became more generalized to ‘shoes, footwear’.
OT1968:1094; GY2008:1545; SS1984:79.
Seal (鞾) (included in a later version of
Shuowen); is a later version. 鞾 consists of Mnemonic: CHANGE LEATHER INTO SHOE
836 ‘leather’, and 1079 (originally, vegetation
growing luxuriantly) as phonetic, to represent

寡1086 KA 103 (originally pictograph of person with large
L1 few, minimum, widow, head), and interpreted as meaning ‘person alone
under a roof’, and by extension ‘few’. Ogawa
minority alone prefers to take the element under as a
variant of ‘summer’ 88 (with associated sense
14 strokes ‘one’ here). The seal form has 218 ‘divide’ add-
ed, reinforcing the sense ‘divide (one thing)’, ‘few’.
KAMOKU silence OT1968:283; MS1995:v1:384-5; KJ1970:312-3.
KAFU/yamome widow
KAGEN reticence Mnemonic: DIVIDING THE HEADS OF HOUSES

Bronze ; seal . The bronze form has 30 LEAVES FEW
‘roof, dwelling’, and element typically taken as

The Remaining 1130 Characters 327

箇1087 KA, KO Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has ‘bamboo’
L1 item (counter) 58 and 501 ‘hard, solid’. Originally, used to
count lengths of bamboo, then later the con-
14 strokes notation ‘bamboo’ was dropped, and employed
widely as a general counter. Often inter-
KAJŌgaki itemization changed with the counter 695. KJ1970:390-
KASHO place, point 91; AS2007:248; SS1984:80-81.
IKKO one item
Mnemonic: IT’S HARD TO ITEMISE BAMBOO

稼1088 KA, kasegu Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 87 ‘grain
L1 work, earn money plant’, and 89 (‘house’) as phonetic with
associated sense as i] ‘good’, giving ‘grain which
15 strokes is well-developed’ (Ogawa), or ii] ‘cover over’,
giving ‘grain harvested and covered’ (Tōdō).
KAGYŌ one’s trade The meaning ‘work to earn money’ is extended.
kasegite breadwinner OT1968:736; TA1965:383.
tomokasegi dual income
Mnemonic: HOUSE FULL OF GRAIN

INDICATES WORK AND MONEY EARNED

蚊1089 ka, BUN to represent the sound of a mosquito buzzing
L3 mosquito in flight, and on the same basis was later
replaced by 72 ‘text’ with the double insect
10 strokes 䖵 reduced to one, 60. Several other variant
shapes were also used historically, but need
kabari fishing fly not concern us here. OT1968:885; SS1984:759;
kaya* mosquito net GY2008:1048-9.
kayari smudge fire

Seal (蟁) ; late graph (Shuowen). Seal form has Mnemonic: TEXT DESCRIBES MOSQUITO AS
䖵‘insect’ (general term), and 619 (‘people’) INSECT THAT GOES ‘BUN’
as phonetic purely for its onomatopoeic value

牙1090 GA, GE, kiba when put together, borrowed to represent
L1 tusk, fang ‘tusk, fang’. Shirakawa, in contrast, chooses
to interpret the bronze forms (onwards) as
4 strokes representing from the outset tusks or fangs
coming together vertically. The bronze
DOKUGA poison fangs forms are, though, more supportive of
ZŌGE ivory the first analysis above. MS1995:v2:826-8;
SHIGA teeth KJ1970:134-6; OT1968:634; SS1984:82. Mne-
monically difficult but suggest taking graph
Bronze ; seal . The bronze forms are as a ‘peg’ (baby talk for ‘tooth’), with as
typically taken as depicting curved interlock- a support.
ing pieces of wood which made up part of
the circular outer rim of a wheel; the original Mnemonic: WHEN YOUR ‘TOOTHY PEGS’
way of writing . Then, on the basis of the
interlocking nature of these pieces of wood BECOME TUSKS, YOU NEED SUPPORT

328 The Remaining 1130 Characters

瓦1091 GA, kawara, GURAMU Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Originally a
L1 tile, gram pictograph; the simple shape is interpreted as
a curved earthenware container or utensil, or
5 strokes a curved roof tile. ‘(Roof ) tile’ tends to be taken
as extended sense (Ogawa, Schuessler), though
kawaraya tiler Shirakawa treats this as orig. meaning. Also
RENGA brick used for ‘gram’ (in Japanese only). OT1968:663;
onigawara gargoyle TA1965:618; AS2007:222-3; SS1984:82.

Mnemonic: FANCY CURVED TILE HAS A SPOT

IN THE MIDDLE

雅1092 GA phonetic – purely onomatopoeic – denoting
L1 elegance, ‘taste’ ‘crow, mountain crow’. stands to represent
the characteristic cawing sound made by such
13 strokes birds. As Gu suggests, is no doubt a variant
way of writing NJK ‘crow’. At a later stage,
YŪGA elegance
GAGŌ pen-name was borrowed for its sound value to write
GASHU artistry another word meaning ‘elegant, refined’, now
its main meaning. OT1968:1077; SS1984:84;
Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 324 GY2008:1410-11; KJ1985:650.
‘short-tailed bird, bird’, and 1090 (‘tusk,
interlocking pieces’ [here, five strokes]) as Mnemonic: BIRD WITH FANGS IS ELEGANT!?

餓1093 GA, ueru Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 163 ‘food,
L1 starve eat’, and 833 (‘I/me’, originally ‘halberd’) as
phonetic with associated sense taken variously
15 strokes as i] ‘wither’ (Katō), ii] ‘starve’ (Ogawa), or iii]
‘sharp, angular’ (Tōdō), but all giving essentially
KIGA starvation the same overall basic meaning, i.e. ‘withered/
GAKI hungry imp; ‘brat’ starving/angular body’, in other words ‘starving’.
GASHI starving to death KJ1970:142; OT1968:1117; TA1965:591.

Mnemonic: NEED FOOD – I’M STARVING!

介1094 KAI a different interpretation is appropriate, and
L1 mediate, shell they are taken as depicting a person wearing
armor. Meanings such as ‘act as mediator’, ‘seek’,
4 strokes ‘assist’ are probably loan usages, while ‘shell’ is
probably extended usage. MS1995:v1:40-41;
KAINYŪ intervention MR2007:227-8; KJ1970:143; TA1965:605;
KAIKAKU shell OT1968:41. Suggest taking the current graph as
SHŌKAI introduction an arrowhead.

OBI ; seal . Sometimes taken as 41 ‘per- Mnemonic: SHELL-LIKE ARMOR PROTECTS
son’, with 70 ‘divide’ (Tōdō, Ogawa), but this
is based on the seal form and the Shuowen ex- MEDIATOR FROM ARROWHEAD
planation of same. However, OBI forms suggest

The Remaining 1130 Characters 329

戒1095 KAI, imashimeru OBI ; seal . The graphs show two hands
L1 command, warn, holding up a halberd or similar (Qiu describes
as ‘dagger-ax’), interpreted as meaning
admonish ‘watch out, holding halberd up with both
hands’, and hence ‘be on guard, take care’,
7 strokes by extension, ‘warn (someone); admonish’.
MS1995:v1:534-5; OT1968:394; KJ1970:147;
KEIKAI caution MR2007:261; AS2007:314.
HAKAI broken oath
KAIGYŌ penance Mnemonic: TWO-HANDED HALBERD IS A

SIGN OF COMMAND

怪1096 KAI, GE, ayashii of 287 etc; see below) as phonetic with
L1 weird, suspicious associated sense taken as ‘strange, unusual’
(Katō) or ‘caution’ (Ogawa), in either case giv-
8 strokes ing ‘consider suspicious/strange’. Note that
consists of 2003 ‘hand’, with 64 ‘earth/
KAIDAN ghost story dirt’, giving ‘person digging’, thus ‘cultivate
KAIBUTSU monster land, make efforts’. KJ1970:319; OT1968:363;
ayashige ‘dodgy’ MS1995:v1:262-3.

Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 164 Mnemonic: I FEEL SUSPICIOUS OF WEIRD
‘heart, mind, feeling’, and (CO, ‘cultivate
land, exert effort’, not as per right-hand part PEOPLE WITH DIRT ON THEIR HANDS

拐1097 KAI Very late, post-Shuowen graph, making analysis
L1 deceive, kidnap, steal difficult. Provisionally 34 ‘hand’ and 叧
(taken by Ogawa as variant of 659 ‘distorted
8 strokes mouth’) as phonetic with associated sense ‘trap,
ensnare’, thus ‘trap and catch’, by extension ‘de-
YŪKAI abduction ceive, obtain by fraud’ (Ogawa), or ‘quietly steal’
KAITAISHA absconder (Tōdō). OT1968:406; TA1965:628; KJ1970:311-2.
YŪKAI suru kidnap Use 198 ‘sword’, 22 ‘mouth’.

Mnemonic: KIDNAP WITH SWORD AND

HAND OVER MOUTH

悔1098 KAI, kuyamu/yashii Seal . Has 164 ‘feelings/heart’, and 225
L1 regret, vexed, feel (‘every’) as phonetic with associated senses
taken as i] ‘regret’ (Katō), or ii] ‘dark’ (Tōdō), or iii]
sorry, repent ‘inauspicious’ (Ogawa). Overall negativity of the
phonetic here confirms overall meaning is ‘re-
9 strokes gret’. KJ1970:316; MS1995:v1:528-9; TA1965:165;
OT1968:367.
KŌKAI regret
kuyashisa vexation Mnemonic: EVERY PERSON HAS FEELINGS OF
kuyamiJŌ condolence letter
REGRET

330 The Remaining 1130 Characters

皆1099 KAI, min(n)a as provisional. Mizukami, alternatively, treats
L1 all, everyone here not as but as , though here not

9 strokes ‘white’ but as an abbreviated form of a different
graph – possibly 150 nose, self– but with
KAISAI full payment the meaning ‘open mouth’ rather than nose.
KAIMU none at all Despite such divergence, scholars agree the
minasama everyone upper element is 792 ‘compare’ (originally,
two people lined up). Combined as , the two
Bronze ; seal . Scholars agree the lower elements have the meaning ‘people line up and
element is not 69 ‘white’, typically taking it exchange words’ or ‘people line up and all say
as ‘say’ (NJK orig showing speech emitted something,’later generalized to ‘all’. KJ1970:152;
from mouth)(Katō, Ogawa), though it should OT1968:687; MS1995:v2:898-9,v1:628-9;
be noted there is some difference in shape be- GY2008:831. For convenience, take as ‘white’.
tween bronze forms for i] on the one hand
and ii] the element corresponding to in Mnemonic: EVERYONE LINED UP, ALL IN
on the other, so correspondence is best seen
WHITE, FOR COMPARISON.

塊1100 KAI, katamari would give ‘basket for holding earth’, but one
L1 lump, clod, mass commentator takes here as having a pho-
netic role only (Katō). Alternatively, there may
13 strokes be the possibility that the earth in the basket
was often made up of clods, giving ‘clod(s) of
KINKAI gold bullion earth’ as an extended sense. As for , this con-
KEKKAI blood clot sists of , with 1179 (‘demon’) as phonetic
KAIKEI tuber with associated sense taken as i] ‘round, round
and hard’, giving ‘earth which is round (/ and
Seal forms , ; late graph (Shuowen). While hard)’ (Tōdō, Katō), or ii] ‘big’, giving ‘big
earth [chunks]’ (Shirakawa). DJ2009:v3:1113;
both these seal forms are listed in Shuowen, it KJ1970:153-4; TA1965:719; SS1984:93.
is 凷 that is accorded main heading status, with
Mnemonic: DEVILISH CLOD OF EARTH
just noted as another equivalent shape.
凷 consists of 64 ‘earth’, and , which is

originally a pictograph of a container, and this

楷1101 KAI Extended meanings include ‘straight, upright’
L1 regular / model script (figurative sense), and ‘model, rule’. It is this
sense ‘model’ which was utilized to refer to a
13 strokes variety of Chinese script, the developmental
stage known in Japanese as kaisho, a
KAISHO regular script term which is translated into English vari-
KAIGYŌSŌ square, ously as ‘model script’, ‘regular script’, ‘block
semi-cursive, cursive (script styles) script’, and which is the basis of modern
script use in the Chinese cultural sphere and
Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen). Has 73 in Japan. For more on kaisho, see Introduc-
‘tree, wood’, and 1099 (‘all, everyone’) as tion. SS1984:93; GY2008:1558; OT1968:513;
phonetic with associated sense ‘harmony, QX2000:147-8.
order’ (Shirakawa). Originally referred to
a type of tree, similar to a cypress; a tree Mnemonic: EVERYONE SHOULD USE
which grew straight, reflected in the fact it
produced wood suited to construction and REGULAR SCRIPT, STRAIGHT AS A TREE
the manufacture of wooden artefacts (Gu).

The Remaining 1130 Characters 331

潰1102 KAI, tsubusu/reru Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 42
L1 ruin, destroy, be ‘water’, with 847 (‘precious’) as phonetic,
with associated sense ‘be destroyed’. Shuowen
destroyed, crush glosses as meaning ‘leak’; then to connote
destructive water force such as dyke or similar
15 strokes bursting. Later, generalized to ‘be destroyed/
defeated’. DJ2009:v3:901; OT1968:606;
KAISŌ rout, debacle SS1984:95; TA1965:710; GY2008:1498.
tsubushine scrap value
himatsubushi kill time Mnemonic: PRECIOUS WATER CAN BE

RUINED

壊1103 KAI, kowareru/su ‘destroy/be destroyed’. Note: CO 褱 has 444
L1 break, destroy, ruin ‘garment/clothes’, with second element (middle
part of 褱 ) which is taken either i] as mean-
16 strokes ing ‘shed tears’, thus ‘shed tears and conceal in
one’s clothing’, or ii] as phonetic with associ-
HŌKAI collapse ated sense ‘keep, retain’, thus ‘keep (something)
KAIMETSU destruction within one’s clothing’, and by extension ‘conceal
KAIKETSUBYŌ scurvy in one’s bosom’ or ‘ embrace’; both analyses
are listed by Mizukami. MS1995:v1:280-
Seal ; traditional . Has 64 ‘earth/soil’, 81,v2:1170-71; KJ1970:322; OT1968:226;
and 褱 (see below) as phonetic with associated SS1984:95. Take as 35 ‘ten’, and 76 ‘eye’.
sense ‘crumble; destroy’, giving ‘earthen wall
of fortress/house, etc. is damaged/destroyed’ Mnemonic: TEN EYES FOCUSSED ON SOILED
(Mizukami, Katō); Ogawa takes more gener-
ally as ‘earth crumbles’. Later generalized to GARMENT – RUINED!

懐1104 KAI, futokoro, Bronze ; seal ; traditional . Has 164
L1 natsukashii ‘heart/feeling’, with 褱 (see 1103) as phonetic
with associated sense ‘embrace, surround,
fond, bosom keep’, thus ‘keep/embrace in the heart’, hence
‘long for, think fondly of’. MS1995:v1:530-31;
16 strokes KJ1970:321-2; OT1968:389.

KAICHŪ- pocket- Mnemonic: FOND FEELINGS FOR GARMENT
futokorode idleness
JUKKAI reminiscence CATCHING THOSE TEN EYES (see 1103)

諧1105 KAI Seal . Has 118 ‘words; speak’ and
L1 harmony,order 1099 (‘all, everyone’) as phonetic with associ-
ated sense ‘be lined up, come together’, giving
16 strokes ‘voices of many are in unison’; by extension,
‘soften, moderate’. Mizukami looks to identify a
KAICHŌ harmony, euphony corresponding bronze form. MS1995:v2:1204-5;
HAIKAI haiku, poetry GY2008:1335.
KAION melody, harmony
Mnemonic: EVERYONE’S WORDS ARE IN

HARMONY

332 The Remaining 1130 Characters

劾1106 GAI Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen). Has 78
L1 investigate (a ‘strength, effort’, and 875 (NJK, ‘wild animal’,
probably a boar or pig, but the OBI pictograph
wrong-doing) too simple to interpret definitively) as phonetic
with associated sense taken as ‘investigate,
8 strokes pursue’, giving ‘vigorously pursue, thoroughly
judge (a criminal)’. OT1968:126; KJ1970:149. We
DANGAI impeachment suggest taking as ‘broken’ variant of ‘threads,
DANGAISHA denunciator bindings’ 29.
GAISŌ reporting offence
Mnemonic: PUT EFFORT INTO
崖1107 GAI, gake INVESTIGATING BROKEN THREADS
L1 cliff, precipice
independent graph (NJK) also meaning ‘cliff,
11 strokes precipice’; Ogawa and Tōdō consider that the
element 1076 (‘ceremonial jade’) also has
gakekuzure landslide a function in as phonetic with associated
DANGAI cliff, precipice sense ‘sloping’. TA1965:504-08; OT1968:304,149.
KENGAI overhanging cliff Suggest taking as ‘double’ the ground 64
with as cliff.
Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen). Has 26
‘hill, mountain’, and , itself already an Mnemonic: IN MOUNTAINS, CLIMBING A
CLIFF IS LIKE DOUBLE THE GROUND
涯1108 GAI
L1 shore, edge Seal ; a late graph (later version of Shuowen).
Has 42 ‘water’ and NJK ‘cliff, precipice’, giv-
11 strokes ing ‘cliff at water’s edge’; ‘edge’ is an extended
sense. OT1968:585; SS1984:101. Suggest taking
SHŌGAI one’s life
SAIGAI limits as ‘raised earth’ 64.
TENGAI horizon
Mnemonic: CLIFF OF RAISED EARTH STANDS
慨1109 GAI, nageku AT WATER’S EDGE
L1 lament, deplore
Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen); traditional
13 strokes forms , . Has ‘heart, mind’ 164, and

GAITAN lamentation / / 1177 (‘already’, q.v.) (originally, ‘eat
KANGAI deep emotion completely, eat one’s fill’) as phonetic with asso-
GAIZEN to indignantly ciated sense taken either as ‘be blocked’, giving
‘one’s heart is blocked/stifled, lament’ (Ogawa,
Tōdō), or as ‘enraged and arrogant’, giving ‘be
enraged’ (Katō). In the latter analysis, ‘lament’
is presumably to be seen as a loan usage.
OT1968:383,458; TA1965:702-06; KJ1970:153.

Mnemonic: ALREADY HAVE FEELINGS OF LAMENT

The Remaining 1130 Characters 333

蓋1110 GAI, futa, kedashi Bronze ; seal . Has 53 ‘plant, grass’,
L1 lid, probably and 1059, variant of earlier (‘cover/lid
over bowl’), thus ‘cover made of vegetation’
13 strokes > ‘roofing thatch’; sense later generalized to
‘cover, lid’. ‘Probably’ is loan usage. OT1968:691;
KŌGAI roof of mouth MS1995:v2:1126-7; TA1965:597-600;
futamono covered dish OT1968:864. Suggest taking as 276 ‘leave,
GAIZENSEI probability go’, and 300 ‘dish’.

Mnemonic: PROBABLY BETTER TO LEAVE

GRASS LID ON DISH

該1111 GAI sense ‘(temporary) agreement (in wartime)’
L1 ‘the said’, relevant (Katō), or iii] ‘words made tight’, also giving
‘agreement’ (Tōdō; in his word-family ‘make
13 strokes taut, tighten’); Gu, however, takes as ‘carve,
inscribe’, thus ‘words carved’, suggesting con-
GAIHAKU profundity tent of some importance. ‘Relevant, the said …’
GAITŌ suru be relevant may be a loan usage. OT1968:926; KJ1970:143;
GAITŌSHA said person TA1965:129-33; GY2008:738. Take as broken
threads 29.
Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 118
‘words; say’, and 875 (‘wild animal’) as pho- Mnemonic: THE SAID BROKEN THREADS ARE
netic with associated sense taken variously as i]
‘all’, thus ‘all take an oath’ (Ogawa), or ii] ‘bundle, RELEVANT
something bound; agreement’, giving original

概1112 GAI, ōmune ready’,) as phonetic with associated sense ‘rub/
L1 roughly, generally rub across, make level’, giving ‘length of wood
for levelling off’, used for removing excess from
14 strokes top of container for measuring rice (or similar).
This was an approximate measure, not precise,
GAINEN general idea so it acquired the extended sense ‘generally,
GAIRYAKU outline in broad measure’. OT1968:518; KJ1970:152-3;
TAIGAI in general TA1965:706.

Seal ; late graph (Shuowen) (効 [same ele- Mnemonic: ALREADY ROUGHLY MEASURED
ments and overall sense, but different posi-
tions]). Has 73 ‘wood, tree’, with / 1177 WITH PIECE OF WOOD
(originally, ‘eat completely, eat one’s fill’; now ‘al-

骸1113 GAI, mukuro interprets as its carcasse. It came to denote
L1 body, corpse a skeleton or bones in general, not just of a
wild animal. Schuessler suggests a possible
16 strokes link between the word represented by and
that represented by 1116 ‘nucleus, core’.
GAIKOTSU skeleton OT1968:1132; SS1984:102; AS2007:270. Suggest
SHIGAI corpse taking as broken threads 29.
nakigara* one’s remains
Mnemonic: BONES IN A CORPSE LOOK LIKE
Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 877
‘bones’ and 875, a graph typically taken as BROKEN THREADS
‘wild animal (probably pig or boar)’. Shirakawa

334 The Remaining 1130 Characters

垣1114 kaki not necessarily earth), fence, hedge’. Note:
L1 fence, hedge depicts a wall or fence; OBI equivalents

9 strokes show an encircling shape with either one
line (perhaps representing an outer bound-
kakine fence, hedge ary, as Tōdō suggests,) or none. OT1968:215;
ikegaki hedge MS1995:v1:268-9,30-31; TA1965:611-20;
kaimamiru* peep SS1984:55. Suggest taking right-hand part as
‘two’ 65 and ‘day’ 66.
Bronze ; seal . Has 64 ‘earth, ground’,
and 924 (‘go round’) as semantic and Mnemonic: IT TAKES TWO DAYS TO FENCE
phonetic, giving ‘encircling earthen wall’; by
extension, ‘wall (made of various materials, OFF THE GROUND

柿1115 kaki, kokera, SHI, JI Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen); traditional
L1 persimmon, shingle form: . Has 73 ‘tree, wood’, and as pho-
netic (associated sense unclear). OT1968:499;
(roof ) SS1984:368; TA1965:770-76. Suggest taking
right hand part as 144 ‘city/market’.
9 strokes
Mnemonic: THERE’S A PERSIMMON TREE IN
tsurushigaki dried persimmon
JUKUSHI ripe persimmon THE MARKET
kokeraita shingle (roof )

核1116 KAKU crate made of wood/tree bark’; later borrowed
L1 core, nucleus, nuclear for ‘stone, kernel’. Another interpretation, found
in Erya, a very early Chinese encyclopaedic
10 strokes dictionary, takes it as hard casings on a tree,
i.e. treats the original meaning as ‘stone (of
KAKUSHIN core, kernel peach, etc.), kernel’. OT1968:502; KJ1970:143-4;
KEKKAKU tuberculosis TA1965:132. We suggest taking as ‘broken/
KAKUHEIKI nuclear weapon snapped threads’ 29.

Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen). Has 73 Mnemonic: TREES SNAPPED LIKE THREADS IN
‘wood, tree’, and 875 (‘wild animal’ [prob-
ably a pig or boar]) as phonetic with associated NUCLEAR BLAST
sense ‘enclose’, giving – in one analysis – ‘box/

殻1117 KAKU, kara bell suspended in mid-air, as a sounding device
L1 shell, husk, crust (Mizukami). Another view takes it as a musical
instrument – again, probably a hard object – on
11 strokes a stand ( ‘stand’ [originally a pictograph])
(Ogawa). Later, there was a semantic shift by
kaigara sea shell association to hard coverings, e.g. ‘shell, husk’
KŌKAKU carapace, shell MS1995:v1:714-5; OT1968:546. Suggest taking
CHIKAKU earth’s crust left side as 211 ‘sell’.

OBI ; seal ; traditional . Has 170 ‘strike’ Mnemonic: STRIKE SOMEONE SELLING
(originally hand holding stick or similar), with
left-hand 壳 which in one view represents a SHELLS FOR A CRUST
hard, empty vessel such as a shell or horn or

The Remaining 1130 Characters 335

郭1118 KAKU viation of a more complex older graph (Katō,
L1 quarters, enclosure Qiu). Overall resultant meaning is ‘enclosed
fortified area’ (included in Tōdō’s word-family
11 strokes ‘framework/enclose with a framework’), gen-
eralized to ‘enclosure, quarters’. QX2000:129;
RINKAKU outlines DJ2009:v2:528-9; TA1965:407-09; OT1968:37;
JŌKAKU citadel KJ1970:280-81; MS1995:v2:1314-6; SS1984:105.
YŪKAKU pleasure quarters Take as 27 ‘child’, cover , and entrance

Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 376 ‘in- 22.
habited place, village’ in its common form as
right-hand element, and 1218 ‘receive, keep’ Mnemonic: CHILD COVERS ENTRANCE TO
in its original sense ‘fortified city walls’. in the
sense ‘fortified city walls’ is taken as an abbre- VILLAGE ENCLOSURE

較1119 KAKU, KŌ, kuraberu Bronze ; seal . Bronze and seal forms have
L2 compare 33 ‘vehicle, carriage’, and ‘mix, cross, join’

13 strokes as semantic and phonetic ( was later re-
placed by 128 ‘mix, exchange’), thus ‘carriage
HIKAKU comparison rails’, of help when mounting and dismounting.
KŌRYŌ comparison The sense ‘compare’ is probably a loan use, or
HIKAKUTEKI comparatively based on comparing rails. OT1968:984,632;
MS1995:v2:1268-9; KJ1970:171.

Mnemonic: A MIXTURE OF VEHICLES MAKES

IT EASY TO COMPARE

隔1120 KAKU, hedataru/teru Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 1907 (as
L1 separate, interpose left-hand element) ‘hill, terraced slopes’, and CO

13 strokes (‘three-legged cauldron [with hollow legs]’)
as phonetic with associated sense ‘separate’,
KAKURI quarantine giving ‘separate with terraced slopes/hills’; later
KANKAKU spacing generalized to simply ‘separate’. OT1968:1073;
KAKUSHŪ fortnightly DJ2009:v3:1188; MS1995:v2:1482-3. Suggest
take as lidded pot on stand.

Mnemonic: SEPARATED BY HILL LIKE A

LIDDED ROUND POT ON A STAND

獲1121 KAKU, eru giving ‘catch wild prey using dogs (in hunting)’;
L1 obtain, gain, seize
the graph suggests the prey was originally

16 strokes just birds. Shirakawa lists bronze forms and

several OBI forms as predecessors of (Ma

KAKUTOKU acquisition also lists OBI); all lack as determinative.
GYOKAKU fishing
emono prey KJ1970:328; MS1995:v2:1118-9; OT1968:648;

MR2007:421.

Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has ‘dog’ 19, Mnemonic: DOG’S LEFT, SO HAVE TO SEIZE
and ‘catch bird’ 468 (originally, crested bird, CRESTED BIRD BY HAND
with 2003 ‘hand’) as semantic and phonetic,

336 The Remaining 1130 Characters

嚇1122 KAKU, odosu/kasu or ii] ‘oppose, act contrarily’, giving ‘oppose
L1 threaten, menace verbally’ (Katō). Both analyses indicate verbal
activity of a negative kind, and this is echoed
17 strokes by Shirakawa, who treats as phonetic in
an onomatopoeic role, giving ‘rebuke in a
IKAKU threat threatening way’. Schuessler suggests a pos-
KAKUDO fury sible semantic as well as phonetic function
IKAKUTEKI threatening for here, with a progression from ‘glowing
red, fiery’ to ‘scary’. OT1968:198; KJ1970:187;
A very late graph (Yupian). Has 22 SS1984:109; AS2007:276.
‘mouth, speak’, and NJK (‘glowing red,
fiery’, [double ‘red’ 48] ) as phonetic with Mnemonic: SPOKEN THREAT MAKES ONE SEE
associated sense taken as i] ‘very angry
voice’, giving ‘be angry, threaten’ (Ogawa), RED TWICE OVER

穫1123 KAKU Seal . This graph has 87 ‘grain (plant)’, and
L1 harvest, acquire (‘crested bird’, with 2003 ‘hand’; see 1121

18 strokes and 468) as phonetic with associated sense
‘grasp firmly’, giving ‘take grain and harvest’;
SHŪKAKU harvest sense subsequently generalized to ‘take,
TAKAKU good crop acquire’. MS1995:v2:972-4,1118-9; KJ1970:328;
SHŪKAKUdaka yield OT1968:738.

Mnemonic: HARVESTING GRAIN IS LIKE

CATCHING A BIRD IN THE HAND

岳1124 GAKU, take cient times, and apparently regarded hilltops
L1 peak, imposing and mountain tops as sacred. Shuowen notes

8 strokes as the older, orthodox form, and as the
more recent graph, but in fact the reverse
SANGAKU mountains is the case, as the earliest occurrences of
GAKUFU father-in-law are in seal script. consists of 26, with
UNZENdake Mt Unzen 1353 (‘prison’) as a phonetic with the associ-
ated sense of ‘project steeply’, thus giving
OBI ; seal ( ) . The OBI form ( only) ‘steep mountain’, but traditionally – through
consists of 26 ‘mountain, hill’, with an the influence of the treatment in Shuowen
upper element that is taken as represent- – and have been treated down to the
ing either i] another mountain or hill (Katō, present as alternative forms of the same
Ogawa), or ii] a sheep’s horns, and hence graph, even though this is not actually
‘sheep’ (Shirakawa; see 426), either way the case. MS1995:v1:420-22; DJ2009:742;
giving ‘mountain, mountain peak’ (some- KJ1970:188; OT1968:302; SS1984:110-11. We
times thought to refer to five specific peaks suggest splitting into 1203 ‘hill’ and
in China). Interpretation ii] above, involving 26 ‘mountain’.
sheep, might appear bizarre, but Shirakawa
points to a possible connection with the Mnemonic: A HILL ON TOP OF A MOUNTAIN
Qiang ( ), a nomadic, sheep-herding people
who inhabited part of western China in an- – WHAT AN IMPOSING PEAK!

The Remaining 1130 Characters 337

顎1125 GAKU, ago correct’) as phonetic with associated sense
L1 jaw, chin ‘stick out, project’, giving original meaning
‘high cheekbones’; Ogawa and Shirakawa
18 strokes treat ‘jaw’ as a meaning peculiar to Japanese.
OT1968:1106,180; SS1984:112; KJ1970:126-7;
GAKKOTSU jaw AS2007:224. We suggest taking as a ‘dou-
agohige chin-beard bled’ variant of 297 ‘number, call, sign’.
agohime chin-strap
Mnemonic: HEAD WITH DOUBLE CHINS AND
A very late graph (Yupian). Has 103
‘head’, and CO (‘quarrel loudly’, ‘quarrel to DOUBLE MOUTHS! ODD SIGNS

掛1126 kakeru/karu, kakari with associated sense ‘hang, suspend’, thus
L1 connected, apply, ‘hang, suspend’. is considered to be a
popular equivalent. The alternative element
cost, hang, depend NJK (‘indicate response of the gods through
divination’) as phonetic has associated sense
11 strokes ‘link up’ (Katō). KJ1970:323,137-8; OT1968:417;
DJ2009:v3:1001; SS1984:77. Suggest taking
kakaribito hanger-on as double ‘earth’ 64 and as a ‘crack’ (see
mikake appearance 96 ).
koshikakeru sit
Mnemonic: CRACKED HAND IS CONNECTED
Seal ( ) ; late graph (Shuowen). The older
form has 34 ‘hand’, and 461 (originally, WITH DOUBLE LOADS OF EARTH
‘demarcating path between fields’) as phonetic

潟1127 kata, SEKI phonetic with associated sense taken either as
L1 beach, lagoon i] ‘retreat, draw back’, giving ‘beach at ebb tide’
(Shirakawa), or ii] ‘merge into’, giving ‘ground
15 strokes where salt is left as residue’, i.e. ‘land on the
seashore’ (Ogawa). In Japanese only, used in the
higata tidal flat extended senses ‘lagoon, inlet’. GY2008:1456;
SEKIKO lagoon MS1995:v2:1094-5; OT1968:608,835;
NiigataSHI Niigata City SS1984:507,509. Suggest taking as variant of
bird 190 (with big claws).
A late, post-Shuowen graph. Has 42 ‘water’,
and (CO; originally a pictograph denoting a Mnemonic: ODD BIRD WITH BIG CLAWS SEEN
type of bird [Mizukami, Gu, Ogawa]; Shirakawa
interprets – less convincingly – as ‘shoes’) as ON WATERS OF LAGOON

括1128 KATSU, kukuru Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen). Has 34
L1 bind, wrap, fasten ‘hand’, and 755 ‘tongue’, but note that is
a later regularized shape for what at the seal
9 strokes script stage was something different, inter-
preted by Katō and Tōdō as meaning ‘close the
IKKATSU (en) bloc mouth’. The element just described, function-
KAKKO parentheses ing here as semantic and phonetic (with sense
HŌKATSUTEKI blanket- generalized to ‘close’) then combines with
to give ‘close with the hands’, and hence ‘fasten,
bind’. KJ1970:197-8; TA1965:624-9; OT1968:411.

Mnemonic: HAND BINDS TONGUE

338 The Remaining 1130 Characters

喝1129 KATSU see 1048), giving ‘shout loudly’, and – as a
L1 shout, scold
consequence – ‘throat becomes dry’, to give

11 strokes ‘become hoarse’ (the Shuowen explanation of

is ‘throat becomes dry’). The additional

KASSAI applause Japanese meaning ‘scold, rebuke’ may be seen
KYŌKATSU threat
IKKATSU yell, roar as an extended meaning. GY2008:1336; DJ2009:

Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen); traditional v1:119. As with 1048, we suggest taking the top
form has as right-hand element. Has 22
‘mouth; speak’, and as semantic and pho- 10 right hand part as ‘day’ 66, as
netic (‘question loudly/stop and question’;
slumped/sitting person, with as corner.

Mnemonic: PERSON SITTING IN CORNER ALL
DAY, BEING SHOUTED AT

渇1130 KATSU, kawaku Bronze ; seal ; traditional form has .
L1 thirst, parched Has 42 ‘water’, and / (‘question loudly/
stop and question’; see 1048) as phonetic
11 strokes with associated sense ‘become sparse, run out’,
thus ‘water dries up’; by extension ‘be thirsty’.
KASSUI water shortage MS1995:v2:764-5; KJ1970:357-8; OT1968:585.
KATSUBŌ craving As with 1048, we suggest taking right hand part
kawaki thirst
/ as ‘day’ 66, as slumped/sitting person,
with as corner.

Mnemonic: PERSON SLUMPED IN CORNER

ALL DAY, THIRSTING FOR WATER

葛1131 KATSU, kuzu, tsuzura netic with associated sense ‘be bent, twisted’,
L1 arrowroot, vine giving ‘plant with tortuously twisted stem’, i.e. a
type of vine. For this graph the traditional form
12 strokes is standard. GY2008:1376; MS1995:v2:1122-4.
As with 1048, we suggest taking right hand part
KATTŌ complication
kuzuko arrowroot starch as ‘day’ 66, as slumped/sitting person,
tsuzuraori meandering with as corner.

Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Also (non- Mnemonic: PERSON SLUMPED IN CORNER

standard). Has 53 ‘plant’, and / (‘question ALL DAY, TANGLED IN ARROWROOT VINE

loudly/stop and question’; see 1048) as pho-

滑1132 KATSU, KOTSU, associated sense taken as i] ‘emerge’ (Katō)
L1 suberu, nameraka or ii] ‘smooth’ (Shirakawa), both giving ‘water
emerges easily’, and hence ‘slide; smooth’. Alter-
slip, slide, smooth natively, there is another variation on interpre-
tation of the phonetic, i.e. iii] ‘revolve, go round’,
13 strokes taken as ‘go round smoothly’, and hence again
‘smooth’ (Ogawa). KJ1970:329; SS1984:114;
ENKATSU smoothness OT1968:599.
KASSEKI talc
uwasuberi no superficial Mnemonic: BONES IN WATER END UP

Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen). Has 42 SMOOTH AND SLIPPERY
‘water’, and 877 (‘bone’) as phonetic with

The Remaining 1130 Characters 339

褐1133 KATSU an abbreviation of 1131 ‘vine’, giving original
L1 brown, coarse cloth meaning ‘garment made of coarse fiber’ – a
sense which the above scholars also agree
13 strokes with. The meaning ‘brown’ is an extended
sense based on the color of such garments.
KASSHOKU brown GY2008:1766; SS1984:115; OT1968:907. As with
KATTAN lignite 1048, we suggest taking right hand part
KAPPU ragged beggar as day 66, as slumped/sitting person, with

Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen). Has 444 as corner.
‘garment’, and / (‘stop and question/ques-
tion loudly’; see 1048), taken as phonetic by Mnemonic: PERSON IN BROWN CLOTH
several scholars (Shirakawa, Ogawa; sense not
specified), but it may alternatively serve here as SLUMPED IN CORNER ALL DAY

轄1134 KATSU Seal: ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 33 ‘car-
L1 control, linchpin riage/vehicle’, and 460 (‘harm, damage’) as
phonetic with associated sense ‘stop, prevent’,
17 strokes giving original meaning ‘linchpin’ (pin to keep
carriage wheels in place on axle); by extension,
KANKATSU jurisdiction ‘control’. TA1965:599; OT1968:988.
TŌKATSU control
CHOKKATSU direct control Mnemonic: VEHICLE DAMAGED – OUT OF CONTROL

且1135 katsu, SHO, SO (Shirakawa, Tōdō, Gu). Given the shape of
L1 furthermore, many of the OBI forms (Mizukami gives several
dozen), however, yet another interpretation de-
besides, and serves serious consideration, i.e. that the graph
originally depicted a phallus, and by extension
5 strokes was used for what was later written 758
‘ancestor’ (Gu, Karlgren). Originally a picto-
katsumata moreover graph, was borrowed at an early stage as a
naokatsu and yet convenient way of writing several other words
KŌSHO for a while or grammatical elements with more abstract
senses, including ‘moreover’, hence its meaning
OBI ; bronze ; seal . Considered to be in Japanese today. KJ1970:640; OT1968:18;
based on a pictograph, but interpretations vary SS1984:428; TA1965:364-5; GY2008:158;
regarding exactly what is depicted. One view BK1957:31-2; AS2007:306.
takes as meat in a tiered vessel, as an offering
(Ogawa); another takes as tomb with multiple Mnemonic: AND FURTHERMORE, THIS CAIRN
layers of earth piled up in a mound (Katō).
Alternatively, is seen by others as layers of HAS THREE LAYERS AND A BASE
meat on a chopping-board (or stand), as the
original way of writing NJK ‘chopping-board’

釜1136 kama, FU Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Seal form is
L1 kettle, cauldron listed in Shuowen, but only as an alternative
way of writing another, more complex graph
10 strokes also meaning ‘cauldron, big cooking pot’. has

CHAgama tea kettle 16 ‘metal’, with 216 (‘father’) as phonetic
atogama replacement/successor with associated sense ‘big’ (Mizukami) or ‘swell
okama male homosexual (slang) up’ (Ogawa). DJ2009:v1:239; MS1995:v2:1484-5;
OT1968:1037.

Mnemonic: FATHER IS HOVERING OVER THE

METAL KETTLE

340 The Remaining 1130 Characters

鎌1137 kama, REN Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen). Has 16
L1 sickle ‘metal’, and 1281 (now ‘combine’, but
originally showing hand holding two ‘grain
18 strokes plants’: see 87) as phonetic with associated
sense ‘curved and sharp’, giving ‘sickle’, and
kamaire harvesting possibly also having a semantic relevance.
kamakubi gooseneck (pipe) DJ2009:v3:1150; OT1968:1049; GY2008:1974.
KamakuraSHI Kamakura City
Mnemonic: HAND HOLDS TWO GRAIN

PLANTS CUT WITH METAL SICKLE

刈1138 karu, KAI, GAI Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen). Has 198
L1 cut, shear, crop, reap ‘knife, cut’, and CO ‘shears’ (considered to
be the original way of writing ) as semantic
4 strokes and phonetic, giving ‘shears’; by extension,
‘cut grass, reap’. KJ1970:136-7; OT1968:110;
kariire reaping, harvesting AS2007:568.
karikomu cut, clip, shear
kusakariKI lawn mower Mnemonic: CUT CROP WITH SHEARS AND

KNIFE

甘1139 KAN, amai, amae, from the OBI stage. The meaning of ‘presume
L2 amaeru, amayakasu upon’ is an extended meaning of being nice/
sweet to a senior person in return for their
sweet, presume upon future help in furthering one’s career or simi-
lar. This ‘amae’ is said to be a feature unique
someone to Japan but this is incorrect, with many
cultures having the same basic presumption.
5 strokes OT1968:664; MS1995:v2:864-6; KJ1970:208;
MR2007:309. Suggest take as something
amazake sweet sake being retained/ savored in an ‘odd mouth’
KANGEN sweet words (variant of ‘mouth’ 22)
amae presuming upon
Mnemonic: SOMETHING KEPT IN THE MOUTH
OBI ; seal . The graph depicts some-
thing being tasted in the mouth, and by MUST BE SWEET
extension ‘good to eat’; the specific taste
‘sweet’ evolved as the dominant sense. A
graph which has changed in shape very little

汗1140 KAN, ase, asebamu to excess, pour out all over the place’, giving
L2 sweat ‘sweat’. It does seem somewhat ironic to
have a character normally meaning ‘dry’ to
6 strokes express ‘pour out’, and it may be better to
think of it in its earlier meaning as ‘weapon’.
HAKKAN sweating KJ1970:203; OT1968:557; SS1984:117.
KANGAN shame
asemizu heavy sweat Mnemonic: USE DROPS OF SWEAT AS A
WEAPON!?
Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen). Has 42
‘water, liquid’, and 840 (‘weapon; dry’) as Or: DROPLETS OF SWEAT DRY UP
phonetic with associated sense ‘come out

The Remaining 1130 Characters 341

缶1141 KAN, kama way that 33 ‘carriage, vehicle’ (originally,
L1 can, boiler pulled by humans or oxen, etc.) has been
adopted in modern times for ‘motor vehicle’.
6 strokes Incidentally, there is also the graph 鑵 (post-
Shuowen), listed in Kangxi zidian as mean-
KANzume canned goods ing ‘container for liquids’ (the same as the
KANkiri can opener definition in that dictionary for 罐), and the
KIKAN steam boiler determinative 16 ‘metal’ here would seem
more appropriate for the sense ‘tin can’, but
OBI ; seal ; traditional 罐. Shuowen it appears not to have been adopted for
defines as ‘earthenware vessel’; originally that purpose. Then, in the script reform of
used to hold water, then later the sense 1981 (the Jōyō kanji List of 1945 characters
broadened to ‘container’ in general. What which replaced the earlier [1946] Tōyō kanji
is treated as the traditional form, in origin List of 1850 characters), 罐 was adopted in
a separate graph found in a later version of the form ; its inclusion in the 1981 List
Shuowen, is analyzed by Ogawa as ‘pot, reflected the rise in popularity of tinned
container’, with 雚 468 (originally, ‘type of items in Japan in the intervening period.
crested bird’) as phonetic with associated DJ2009:v2:428; GY2008:2028; OT1968:795;
sense ‘pour water’, giving ‘water container, ZY2009:v3:980,v4:1423; CS2000:165-178. We
container’. As for modern usage in the sense suggest taking this graph as 122 ‘noon’
‘tin can’, this is an example of a linguistic combined with 26 ‘mountain’.
form and its graph being pressed into ser-
vice for new technology. That is to say, this Mnemonic: OPEN CAN FOR NOON PICNIC ON
graph meaning ‘water container, container’
came to be used for ‘tin can’,in the same MOUNTAIN

肝1142 KAN, kimo giving ‘bodily part which is essential’; Shirakawa
L1 LIVER, COURAGE seems to support this interpretation. Katō,
alternatively, looks to take the associated sense
7 strokes as ‘dwarf bamboo’, on the basis of the tubular
shape of the blood vessels linked to the liver,
KANZŌ liver giving ‘bodily part with blood vessels shaped
KANJIN na vital, essential like dwarf bamboo stems’. In the former analy-
kimottama ‘guts’, courage sis, the meaning is perhaps somewhat vague.
OT1968:816; SS1984:118; KJ1970:204.
Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 209
‘flesh, meat’, and 840 (‘dry’) as phonetic with Mnemonic: DRIED MEAT TURNS OUT TO BE LIVER
associated sense ‘base, foundation’ (Ogawa),

冠1143 KAN, kanmuri phonetic in its original sense ‘head’, giving ‘put
L1 crown on a cap’, and by extension ‘cap’; Katō has a view
that differs somewhat, taking the associated
9 strokes sense of here as ‘tie/bind the hair’, though
he arrives at essentially the same overall mean-
ŌKAN royal crown ing for the graph. TA1965:619; OT1968:101;
EIKAN laurels SS1984:119; KJ1970:330.
KANMŌ crest, plume
Mnemonic: CROWN MEASURED ORIGINALLY
Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Typically ana-
lyzed as ‘cover, and 920 ‘hand, measure’, TO ENSURE IT COVERED HEAD
and 117 (‘origin, source’) as semantic and

342 The Remaining 1130 Characters

陥1144 KAN, ochiiru was added on the left side, giving overall
L1 collapse sense ‘elevated land caves in’ (Ogawa), or ‘get
trapped, fall in’ (Schuessler). DJ2009:v3:1185;
10 strokes OT1968:1067; AS2007:530. A separate verti-
cal stroke appears to have found its way into
KANBOTSU cave-in the modern graph, namely . We suggest
KEKKAN defect taking this as 677 ‘old, past’, and as
KANRAKU surrender person falling.

Seal ; late graph (Shuowen); traditional Mnemonic: OLD PERSON COLLAPSES ON

. The OBI form of CO 臽 has the figure of a TERRACED SLOPE

person over a hole, meaning ‘pit, hole’; and at

the seal stage 1907 ‘hill, terraced slope’

乾1145 KAN, kawaku ‘curved’; see 1072), and 倝/ (‘sun shines
L2 dry high in the sky’ [Mizukami]) as phonetic with
associated sense ‘strong, which Katō then
11 strokes takes as giving an overall sense ‘something
bent straightens out’. Yet another analysis
KANDENCHI dry battery – probably the best – is provided by Tōdō,
KANSŌKI (tumble) drier who takes as ‘twisting’, and as ‘sun
KANKI dry season rises up’ (the bronze and seal forms of 倝/

Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen). Interpreta- include the element ‘sun’ 66), giving
tions vary considerably. Ogawa takes it sim- overall sense ‘air rises up in meandering
ply as a variant of CO 倝 (original meaning fashion’ for . As for the meaning ‘dry’ for ,
‘sunrise’ [see 667]), which he interprets as Tōdō sees this as semantically related to his
‘flagpole’, a point on which Shirakawa is in interpretation of the original meaning of that
basic agreement, though he takes 1072 graph; both senses are included in his word-
here as ‘banner’. Gu, alternatively, sees it family ‘rise up’. DJ2009:v3:1200; OT1968:28;
as showing a plant breaking out upwards SS1984:123; GY2008:1198; KJ1970:102-3;
through the surface of the ground. Katō does MS1995:v1:70-71; TA1965:587; AS2007:249.
not favour the ‘plant’ interpretation, and Suggest taking as ‘bent’, as ‘person’, and
instead takes as meaning ‘twisted, bent’ as ‘sun rising (through plants)’.
(though commentators disagree on what
precisely originally represented, there Mnemonic: BENT OLD PERSON FEELS DRY AS
is substantial support for a core meaning
SUN RISES THROUGH PLANTS

勘1146 KAN Seal ; a late graph (late version of Shuowen).
L1 endure, consider, Has 78 ‘strength, power, effort’, and
1552 (originally ‘sexual relations’, now ‘great,
investigate, sense extreme’) as phonetic with associated sense
‘endure’, giving ‘bear, endure’. Used for ‘inspect,
11 strokes investigate’ at an early period (this sense
noted in Yupian). KJ1970:209; OT1968:128;
KANBEN pardon AS2007:331.
KANJŌ bill, account
KANchigai misjudgment Mnemonic: ENDURE EXTREME EFFORT TO

INVESTIGATE

The Remaining 1130 Characters 343

患1147 KAN, wazurau Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). ‘heart, mind’
L1 disease, ill, suffer 164, with NJK ‘skewer’ (originally, depicting
shells [as currency] pierced through middle
11 strokes and arranged on string), taken as phonetic with
associated sense ‘be in distress’, giving ‘be trou-
KANJA patient bled, suffer’ (Mizukami, Ogawa), though Tōdō,
KANBU diseased part by contrast, takes literally as ‘pierce the heart’,
nagawazurai long illness and regards ‘troubled’ as an extended sense.
MS1995:v1:508-10; OT1968:372,22; TA1965:642;
BK1957:63-4.

Mnemonic: SKEWER THROUGH THE HEART

CAUSES SUFFERING

貫1148 KAN, tsuranuku ‘pierced shield-like shell currency with string
L1 pierce, attain, old through’, with ‘pierce, penetrate’ as an extended
sense (Tōdō). Katō also takes as ‘shell cur-
weight (3.75kg) rency’, and as phonetic with associated
sense ‘pierce’. Note: as element in is not
11 strokes to be confused with similar-shaped separate
graph 222 ‘mother’; the two have more
KANTSŪ penetration contrastive shapes in early stages of the script.
JŪKAN traverse MS1995:v1:718-9; GY2008:768-9; TA1965:640-
IKKAN consistency; 3.75kg 42. For mnemonic, suggest take as .

Bronze ; seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has Mnemonic: MOTHER PIERCED BY SHARP
10 ‘shell (currency)’, with CO ‘pierce’ (taken as
originally showing either pierced shell[s] with SHELL
string through [Tōdō; in his view, the original
way of writing ], or a shield [Ogawa]), thus

喚1149 KAN, wameku ‘menstrual soiling’ [Katō], or ‘give birth’ [Shi-
L1 shout, yell, scream, rakawa, Tōdō]) as phonetic with associated
sense taken either as i] ‘wail’, giving ‘wail, shout’
shriek (Katō), or ii] ‘bring together’, giving ‘shout
together/collectively’ (Tōdō). MS1995:v1:302;
12 strokes KJ1970:332-333; SS1984:120; TA1965:630,647;
OT1968:188. Take as bent figure, thighs,
KANMON legal summons
KYŌKAN a cry 56 ‘big’, ‘yell’.
wamekigoe scream, yell
Mnemonic: BENT WOMAN WITH BIG THIGHS
Seal ; late graph (later version of Shuowen).
Has 22 ‘mouth; speak’, and CO (taken as GIVES BIRTH AND YELLS

堪1150 KAN, TAN, taeru Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 64
L1 endure, withstand ‘ground’, and 1552 (now ‘extreme’, originally
‘sexual relations’) as phonetic with associated
12 strokes sense ‘stick out’, giving ‘ground which sticks
out’, ‘raised ground’. The later sense ‘endure’
KANNIN patience now predominates for this graph, Katō sug-
TANNŌ skill gesting it is a borrowed meaning based on
taegatai unendurable

344 The Remaining 1130 Characters

connection with 1146, the early meaning MS1995:v2:866-7; AS2007:330-31; OT1968:219.
of which was also ‘endure’. The fact that and
Mnemonic: EXTREME RAISED GROUND WILL
represented near-homophones in early ENDURE
Chinese supports this view. KJ1970:208-9;

換1151 KAN, kaeru Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). 34 ‘hand’,
L1 exchange and 1149 (‘menstrual soiling’ [Katō], or
‘give birth’ [Shirakawa, Tōdō]) as phonetic
12 strokes with associated sense either as i] ‘change,
exchange’ [Katō], or ii] ‘take out, remove’
KANKI ventilation (as with a baby at birth; Shirakawa, Tōdō).
kaegi spare clothes In latter view ‘exchange’ is presumably loan
KŌKAN exchange usage or extended sense (Tōdō considers to
be the latter). KJ1970:332-3; SS1984:120,125;
TA1965:630. Take as bent figure,
thighs, 56 ‘big’.

Mnemonic: BIG THIGHED BENT WOMAN

HANDS OVER BIRTH-CHILD IN EXCHANGE

敢1152 KAN, aete, aenai Ogawa takes left element to show long
L1 daring, tragic hair held over container, thus ‘wash hair’.
Shirakawa sees as showing hand holding
12 strokes ladle pouring fragrant wine in purification
ritual. The form , which includes 112
YŪKAN bravery, valor ‘hit’, seems a graphic corruption. ‘Dare’ is an
KANZEN to bravely extended sense from ‘take with both hands’;
aenaku tragically ‘tragic’ is minor meaning found only in
Japanese. KJ1970:205-6; MS1995:v1:200-01;
Bronze ( ) ; seal ( ) . Views differ. OT1968:440-41; SS1984:125; DJ2009:v2:335.
is seen as variant diverging from main line Take left hand part as ‘funny’ ear 31.
of development of this graph, represented
by . is taken by several scholars as Mnemonic: DARING HIT ON FUNNY
having two hands, with lower left element
taken as phonetic with associated sense EAR – TRAGIC RESULTS
‘take’, thus ‘seize, take’ (Katō, Mizukami).

棺1153 KAN, hitsugi Seal . Has 73 ‘wood, tree’, with 465
L1 coffin (‘official’) as phonetic with associated sense
‘enclose’ or ‘cover’, giving ‘wood to enclose’,
12 strokes i.e. ‘coffin’. MS1995:v1:672-3; KJ1970:335-6;
TA1965:611-23; OT1968:510.
KANoke coffin, casket
SEKKAN sarcophagus Mnemonic: OFFICIAL IS IN WOODEN COFFIN
hitsugiDAI bier

The Remaining 1130 Characters 345

款1154 KAN the left-hand side as an alternative form: it
L1 friendship, clause, may well be that an original as top left-
hand element in one form of this graph later
engrave became corrupted to (Ogawa takes this
view). Katō analyzes on the basis of the
12 strokes seal form in Shuowen as in its early sense
‘(mouth) wide open’, with a left-hand element
SHAKKAN loan, credit
RAKKAN signature (NJK ‘curse’, meaning given in Shuowen as
KANTAI hospitality ‘calamity initiated by the gods’) as phonetic
with associated sense ‘pit, cavity, void’, giving
Seal forms , . This graph has several ‘what a person longs for’. Through association
alternative shapes, mostly involving variation with ‘cavity, void’, Katō then takes ‘engrave’
on the left-hand side (e.g. ), with 496 (as in the case of inscriptions traditionally
(initially, pictograph of person with mouth on artefacts such as bronze bells and ves-
open wide; now meaning ‘lack’). In addition, sels) as an extended sense. Other meanings
Gu lists one form that he treats as the OBI such as ‘friendship’ and ‘clause’ are perhaps
predecessor, consisting of left-hand (NJK, best seen as loan usages. GY2008:1365,1163;
originally‘firewood on altar’, now meaning KJ1970:305; OT1968:533; DJ2009:v2:704,v1:11;
‘what?’), with right-hand ‘hand’ 2003, AS2007:338. We suggest taking this awkward
signifying a ritualistic request to the gods to graph as 521 ‘samurai’, 723 ‘show’, and
be granted good fortune. Based on the seal
forms, several other commentators (Katō, 496 ‘lack’, fortunately having an easier
Ogawa) also take the core meaning of this mnemonic.
graph/graph group as involving some sort
of wish (still a meaning in Chinese). Regard- Mnemonic: SAMURAI SHOWS LACK OF
ing variation in shape, it is worth observing
that Shuowen notes written with on FRIENDSHIP OVER ENGRAVING

閑1155 KAN ‘obstruct’ and ‘defend’ evolved as extended
L1 leisure, quiet senses. Use of in the sense ‘leisure’ may have
been a loan usage for an early Chinese word of
12 strokes that meaning which was homophonous with
the word meaning ‘bar on gate’. GY2008:488;
KANJIN/himaJIN idler OT1968:1058; QX2000:193; SS1984:127;
KANSAN leisure, quiet AS2007:529.
KANSEI tranquility
Mnemonic: MAKE WOODEN GATE IN QUIET
Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen). Has 231
‘gate’, and 73 ‘wood, tree’, giving original MOMENT OF LEISURE
sense ‘timber for closing gate, bar on gate’;

勧1156 KAN, susumeru Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen); traditional 勸.
L1 encourage, advise Has 78 ‘strength, power, effort’, and 468
(‘crested bird’: q.v.) as phonetic with associated
13 strokes sense ‘strong’, giving ‘make efforts to advance’,
and by extension ‘cause someone to make
KANKOKU advice efforts to advance’, i.e. ‘encourage’. KJ1970:213;
KANSHŌ encouragement MS1995:v2:1410-12; OT1968:129.
KAN’YŪ persuasion
Mnemonic: ENCOURAGED BY EFFORTS OF

CRESTED BIRD

346 The Remaining 1130 Characters

寛1157 KAN, kutsurogu (CO, ‘plump wild sheep’) as phonetic with associ-
L1 magnanimous, relax ated sense ‘spacious, unconstricted’, to give ‘spa-
cious house’, and by extension ‘magnanimous;
13 strokes relax’. KJ1970:340; MS1995:v1:386-8,v2:1120-21;
OT1968:282. We suggest taking the elements as
KANDAI liberality
KAN’YŌ tolerance 30 ‘building / roof’, 20 as ‘see’, and 53 as
KANJO magnanimity ‘grass’.

Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen); tradition- Mnemonic: SEE GRASS-ROOFED
al . Has 30 ‘roof, house, building’, and BUILDING – A PLACE TO RELAX

歓1158 KAN, yorokobu ‘lack’), and 468 (‘crested bird’, q.v.) as phonetic
L1 rejoice, merry with associated sense taken variously as i] ‘eat
and drink’, giving ‘open the mouth and eat and
15 strokes drink’, with ‘rejoice, be happy’ as an extended
sense (Katō), or ii] ‘do something together/
KANGEI welcome in unison’, giving ‘join forces and make a stir’
KANRAKU pleasure (Tōdō), or iii] ‘shout’, giving ‘shout’ (Ogawa).
KŌKAN fraternisation KJ1970:340; TA1965:643-6; OT1968:535.

Seal ; late graph (Shuowen); tradition- Mnemonic: MERRIMENT IS A GAPING MOUTH
al 歡. Has 496 (originally pictograph of FULL OF CRESTED BIRD
person with mouth open wide, now means
water, thus ‘gaze at one’s reflection, look from
監1159 KAN above’; by extension, ‘look carefully; keep
L1 supervise, watch watch’ (Mizukami, Shirakawa), ‘inspect’ (Qiu).
Note: comprises 543 (originally, eye with
15 strokes large pupil or eyeball, with core meaning ‘look
at, watch’), with / , which corresponds to
KANSHI observation person bending over, as in the seal form above.
SŌKAN superintendent QX2000:195; MS1995:v2:906-7; KJ1970:132;
KANKIN imprisonment OT1968:692; SS1984:129.

OBI ; seal . Has (NJK, ‘bend down’), Mnemonic: BENDING PERSON WITH ONE EYE
and ‘bowl’ 300, originally showing person WATCHS OVER BOWL
bent over gazing at reflection in surface of
Seal ; late graph (Shuowen); traditional form
緩1160 KAN, yurui/mu/meru has right-hand 1053 (CO; originally ‘pull’
L1 loose, easy, slack q.v.). Has 29 ‘thread’, and as phonetic with
associated sense ‘loose; lenient, relax’, giving
15 strokes ‘tie thread loosely’. Listed in Shuowen, though
not with main entry status. DJ2009:v3:1080-81;
KANWA mitigation KJ1970:107-8,333; OT1968:785.
KANRYŪ gentle current
yuruyuru to leisurely Mnemonic: HANDS PULL THREADS LOOSE

憾1161 KAN, uramu A late graph (post-Shuowen). Has 264
L1 regret, resent ‘feeling, emotion’, and 164 ‘heart, feeling’.
Acquired connotations of negative emotion,
16 strokes specifically ‘regret, resent’. Included in Tōdō’s
word-family ‘blocked up inside’. SS1984:130;
IKAN na regettable TA1965:815-24; OT1968:389.
KANKON grudge
urami regret Mnemonic: REGRET IS DOUBLY STRONG
FEELING

The Remaining 1130 Characters 347

還1162 KAN associated sense ‘go round once, go round
L1 return and return’, giving ‘return’. Mizukami also lists
what may be OBI equivalents. Note: 睘 has
16 strokes 76 ‘eye’, and CO ‘turn round’ as semantic
and phonetic (Ogawa). MS1995:v2:1310-11;
KANGEN restoration OT1968:1015,703. Take as variant of 1008
SEIKANSHA survivor ‘pity, sorrow’, and ‘eye’ 76 as ‘look’.
HENKAN restitution
Mnemonic: RETURN, MOVING WITH
Bronze ; seal . Has 85 ‘go, move’, and
CO 睘 (‘roll eyes in surprise’) as phonetic with SORROWFUL LOOK

環1163 KAN, wa surround’, giving ‘jade disc’ (Mizukami, Ogawa),
L2 ring, circle or ii] ‘equal’, giving ‘jade disc with centre hole
and surrounding jade body of equal width’. Mi-
17 strokes zukami lists proposed OBI and bronze equiva-
lents also. MS1995:v2:860-61; OT1968:661;
yubiwa finger ring KJ1970:329. As with 1162, we again suggest
KANJŌSEN loop line taking as variant of 1008 ‘pity, sorrow’,
KANKYŌ environment and ‘eye’ 76 as ‘look’.

Seal . Has 15 ‘jade, jewel’, and 睘 (‘roll Mnemonic: JEWELED RING EVOKES
eyes in surprise’; see 1162 Note) as phonetic
with associated sense taken either as i] ‘round, SORROWFUL LOOK

韓1164 KAN has always served to denote a proper noun;
L1 Korea, S. Korea early use was as name of ancient state in War-
ring States period China (ca. 403-221BC). ‘South
18 strokes Korea’ is the modern meaning. Note: Shuowen
defines meaning of as ‘(water) well surround’,
KANKOKU South Korea but Shirakawa sees this as loan usage, and
KANKOKUJIN S.Koreans tentatively takes original meaning as ‘ornate
NIKKAN Japan-S. Korea halberd with leather grip’. MS1995:v1:70-71;
SS1984:132,127; TA1965:587; DJ2009:v2:445.
Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 446 Take as ‘differ’, as 66 ‘sun’ rising through
(originally, ‘go in different directions’ or ‘move ‘plants’ .
away from’, q.v.), and 倝 667 ( in is ab-
breviation; sense disputed: ‘sun shines high in Mnemonic: SOUTH KOREA DIFFERS FROM
sky’ [Mizukami, Tōdō] or ‘flagpole with banner’
[Shirakawa]) as phonetic; initial overall sense JAPAN, BUT SUN STILL RISES
unclear (see Note). According to Shirakawa,

艦1165 KAN enclosed on all sides by planks (protecting
L1 warship against attack)’, and hence ‘warship, military ves-
sel’; here is felt to be an abbreviation of NJK
21 strokes
‘enclosure, cage’. Military vessels are known
GUNKAN warship to have been used in China from the Three
KANTAI fleet Kingdoms period (ca. 220-280AD). KJ1970:133;
KANSHU warship class SS1984:134; OT1968:839,528.

Late graph (Yupian). Has 1450 ‘boat’, and Mnemonic: BOAT THAT WATCHES OVER
1159 (‘supervise, watch over’) as phonetic
OTHERS IS A WARSHIP
with associated sense ‘enclosure’, giving ‘boat

348 The Remaining 1130 Characters

鑑1166 KAN, kangamiru Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 1159
L1 take note, heed, (originally ‘water mirror’, now ‘watch,’), and
appreciate 16 ‘metal’ added later to denote ‘metal mir-
ror’ (in early China, typically made of bronze
23 strokes – see 486). Other meanings for such
as ‘pattern, appreciate’ which evolved later
NENKAN yearbook may be seen as extended senses. SS1984:134;
KANSHŌ appreciation TA1965:846; OT1968:1052; AS2007:305.
kangamite in view of
Mnemonic: APPRECIATE METAL MIRROR FOR
含1167 GAN, fukumu/meru WATCHING ONESELF
L2 include, contain
Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen). Has 22
7 strokes ‘mouth’, and 138 (‘now’) as phonetic with
associated sense ‘cover, hide inside’ (Katō says
HŌGAN inclusion ‘store’), giving ‘keep/hide in the mouth’. ‘In-
GAN’YŪRYŌ content clude’ is an extended sense. MS1995:v1:216-7;
fukumete including OT1968:170; KJ1970:2.

Mnemonic: NOW CONTAINED IN THE MOUTH

玩1168 GAN, moteasobu (Shirakawa), ‘throw (something) down/roll
L1 play, toy with, (something) over’ (Ogawa), but the consen-
appreciate sus regarding the original core meaning of
the graph (except Ogawa) may be summa-
8 strokes rised as ‘take a piece of jade in the hands’.
‘Appreciate’, which appears to be an early
GANGU/omocha* a toy extended sense, is now just a minor sense.
AIGANSHA admirer It is not clear whether ‘play’ is a loan usage
GANRŌ suru make sport of or an extended sense; Gu takes as the latter.
TA1965:611-19; SS1984:136; OT1968:655;
Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen). Has 15 GY2008:542.
‘jade, jewel’, and 117 (‘origin, source’,
initially ‘large head’) as phonetic. Associated Mnemonic: ORIGINALLY ONE PLAYED WITH
sense is taken variously as ‘cup the hands’
(Tōdō), ‘pick up’ (Gu), ‘offer up in the hands’ JEWELS, LIKE TOYS

頑1169 GAN, katakuna with associated sense as ‘not easily controlled’,
L1 stubborn, dull and hence ‘stubborn’ (Shirakawa), or ii] as
both semantic (‘crown of the head’, and hence
13 strokes ‘protuberance’) and phonetic, meaning ‘wood
knot difficult to cut out’, and by extension ‘stu-
GANKO na stubborn pid, stubborn’ (Gu). Katō takes graph as round
GANKEN robust health head and ‘stubborn’ as borrowed meaning.
GANbaru persevere SS1984:137; GY2008:983; KJ1985:661.

Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 103 Mnemonic: A PERSON DULL AND
‘head’, and 117 (initially showing person
with large head, giving ‘head’ as early meaning; STUBBORN-HEADED FROM THE BEGINNING
now ‘origin, beginning’) taken as i] as phonetic

The Remaining 1130 Characters 349