魅2007 MI ‘spectral being, ghost’; by extension, ‘enchant,
L1 bewitch, charm bewitch’. Note: 鬽 has 鬼 1179 ‘demon’, here
likely in its original sense of ‘spirit of dead
15 strokes person, supernatural being’, with 115
‘decorative feathers/colors, embellishment’,
MIRYOKU charm, appeal here taken as ‘long hair’, to give ‘longhaired
MIWAKU fascination supernatural being’. The ancient Chinese
MIRYŌ charm historical work Zuo Zhuan chooses to define
more specifically as a four-legged beast with
Seal (鬽) ; late graph (Shuowen). 鬽 is human face. KJ1970:868; DJ2009:v2:738-9;
entry heading in Shuowen, but text lists as OT1968:1140.
alternative form. For analysis of 鬽, see Note
below. has 1179 ‘supernatural being, Mnemonic: BEWITCHED BY CHARMING
demon’, with 617 (‘immature’) as pho-
netic with associated sense ‘not visible’, thus IMMATURE DEMON
岬2008 misaki, saki, KŌ Late, post-Shuowen graph. Defined in Yupian
L1 promontory, cape dictionary (6th century AD) as ‘mountain side’.
Has 26 ‘mountain’, with 1318 (‘A grade’).
8 strokes Ogawa takes ‘side’ as associated sense of
KŌKAKU point, spit (here as phonetic), and says came to
KŌWAN indentations be used in Japan in the sense ‘promontory’,
KODDOmisaki Cape Cod and this new meaning was then adopted
in Chinese also. GY2008:631; OT1968:303;
SS1984:293-4.
Mnemonic: PROMONTORY HAS ‘A GRADE’
MOUNTAIN
蜜2009 MITSU produced by bees through a regurgitation
L1 honey, nectar process). Another treatment takes the as-
sociated sense as ‘delicious smell’, giving
14 strokes ‘insects’ delicious-smelling (food)’, i.e. ‘honey’
(Ogawa). The graph was later abbreviated to
hachiMITSU honey
MITSUGETSU honeymoon by using ‘insect’ for 䖵, and changing
TŌMITSU syrup the phonetic to 宓 (CO, ‘quiet house’) (same
associated sense as above). DJ2009:v3:1101;
Seal ; traditional ; late graph (Shuowen). KJ1970:807; GY2008:1762; OT1968:889;
MS1995:v2:1144-5. Suggest elements as
Entry heading in Shuowen has a more 30 ‘roof/building/hive’, 597 ‘necessarily’,
ornate form, comprising 䖵 60 ‘insect(s)’, and 60 ‘insect’.
with 鼏 (CO, ‘cauldron lid, wine container
Mnemonic: BEES ARE INSECTS THAT
lid’) as phonetic with associated sense
NECESSARILY NEED HIVE TO MAKE HONEY
taken in one view as ‘saliva’, giving ‘insect
saliva’, and hence ‘honey’(Katō) (which is
妙2010 MYŌ Late, post-Shuowen graph. Has 37 ‘wom-
L1 exquisite, strange an’, with 160 (‘few, little’) as phonetic
with associated sense taken in one view as
7 strokes ‘young’, giving ‘young woman’ (Ogawa, Gu),
and ‘beauty of young woman, exquisite, el-
MYŌAN great idea egant’ as extended senses. Possibly this led
BIMYŌ sublety by further extension to ‘exceptional, rare,
KIMYŌ odd
600 The Remaining 1130 Characters
strange’. An alternative analysis takes as Mnemonic: FEW WOMEN ARE AS EXQUISITE,
phonetic with extended sense ‘indistinct’, YET AS STRANGE
giving ‘indistinct beauty of woman’ (Katō).
OT1968:253; GY2008:529; KJ1970:847-8.
眠2011 MIN, nemuru/i Seal ( ) ; is a late variant. consists
L2 sleep, sleepy of 76 ‘eye’, with 2015 ‘dark’ as semantic
and phonetic, giving ‘close eyes’ and by exten-
10 strokes sion ‘sleep’. Later, 619 (‘populace, people’)
was substituted as phonetic element (Yupian
SUIMIN sleep [6th century AD] notes as being the same
FUMINSHŌ insomnia as ). GY2008:1038,1156; MS1995:v1:114-5;
inemuri doze, nap KJ1970:840; OT1968:102.
Mnemonic: THE PEOPLE CLOSE THEIR EYES
IN SLEEP
矛2012 MU, BŌ, hoko Bronze ; seal . Simpler bronze forms depict
L1 halberd, lance a weapon with handle and sharp point, while
a slightly more involved shape is felt to show
5 strokes a weapon such as lance or halberd, with
41 ‘person’ (holding the weapon) as the lower
hokosaki main point (also fig.) element (Katō; Mizukami also notes a view
MUJUN contradiction broadly in line with this analysis). The more in-
BŌGEKI halberd, spear volved shape then provides basis for seal form.
KJ1970:862; MS1995:v2:928-9; OT1968:705;
GY2008:212. Difficult mnemonically.
Mnemonic: ANGULAR HALBERD HAS TWO
POINTS AND A HANDGUARD
霧2013 MU, kiri Seal (霚) ; late graph; modern form .
L1 mist, fog Seal form has ‘rain’ 3, with 敄 (CO, ‘effort’;
originally ‘attack vigorously with halberd/
19 strokes lance’) as phonetic with associated sense
‘cover’, giving ‘water vapour which covers
MUTEKI foghorn (an area)’, i.e. ‘fog’. At some point, the pho-
NŌMU thick fog netic was changed from敄 to (‘[perform]
asagiri morning mist duties’ 815; same associated sense). Katō
treats as erroneous; Kangxi zidian lists
only , not 霚. KJ1970:863; OT1968:1089;
GY2008:969,1571; KZ2001:3073/3671.
Mnemonic: PERFORM ONE’S DUTIES COME
RAIN, MIST, OR FOG
The Remaining 1130 Characters 601
娘2014 musume, JŌ ing which varies somewhat according to
L2 young woman, the commentator: Katō gives ‘girl’; Ogawa
gives ‘beautiful female/girl’. Schuessler gives
daughter ‘lady’ for both and 1522 (‘young lady,
daughter’, q.v.). ‘Daughter’ is an extended
10 strokes sense for . Though sometimes seen as in-
terchangeable in Japanese usage, (1522)
komusume young girl has the more polite connotation of the two,
JŌSHIGUN Amazons similar to the difference in English between
hitorimusume only daughter ‘woman’ and ‘lady’. KJ1970:555; OT1968:259;
SS1984:458; AS2007:401.
A late, post-Shuowen graph, considered
to be a popular variant of 1522 (q.v.). Mnemonic: DAUGHTER IS A GOOD YOUNG
Consists of 37 ‘woman, female’, with
628 (‘good’) in one view having a semantic WOMAN – INDEED, A LADY
and phonetic role, giving the original mean-
冥2015 MEI, MYŌ mentator arrives at the same meaning, albeit
L1 dark(/ness) by a different route (Katō). By way of excep-
tion, Shirakawa takes to be originally a
10 strokes pictograph depicting a cover over the face of
a deceased person, with the bottom element
MEIDO Hades, realm of dead representing not hands but cords used for
MEIŌSEI Pluto (planet) tying the cloth over the face. If followed, this
MYŌGA divine protection minority interpretation more readily leads
to ‘realm of the dead’ as an extended sense.
OBI ; seal . Typically interpreted – prob- GY2008:1156; MS1995:v1:114-5; OT1968:102;
ably on the basis of the OBI form – as two KJ1970:839-40; SS1984:818. We suggest tak-
hands (modified in shape to in block ing the elements as ‘six’ 80, as or as a ‘ta-
script [thus with the same shape as ‘six’ ble’, plus cover and ‘sun’ and/or ‘day’ 6.
80]) pulling down a cover to black Mnemonic: THE SUN HAS BEEN COVERED
something out (Gu, Mizukami, Ogawa). The
element being blacked out is represented by FOR SIX DAYS – SUCH DARKNESS!
a roughly square shape, taken to be either
the sun 66 (Gu, Mizukami), or an area Or: THE SUN IS SHINING ON THE
(Ogawa). The overall meaning of the graph in
this view is taken to be ‘dark’. Another com- TABLE – COVER IT TO MAKE IT DARK
銘2016 MEI Bronze ; seal . Consists of 16 ‘metal’,
L1 inscribe, sign, name, combined with 75 ‘name’ as semantic
and phonetic, typically taken to refer to the
quality ancient practice of recording biographical
details of a deceased person on an artefact
14 strokes such as a bronze bell or tripod vessel or
on a tombstone. Katō takes it as signifying
MEIgara brand recording the name of the deceased on a
BOMEI epitaph flag; this view is based on a passage in the
MEICHA quality tea Book of Rites (one of the Five Confucian
Classics), but the graph clearly suggests the
recording was done on metal (this is not to
say that the practice of writing on a flag was
602 The Remaining 1130 Characters
not done also). The original meaning of this out the function of a notable/quality named
graph was ‘inscription’. ‘Well-known, notable’ brand, such as in meibutsu (‘noted
is seemingly an extended sense deriving product’) but it seems that , despite tak-
from the fact that the epitaphs often set out ing longer to write, has taken over that role
accomplishments of distinguished individu- to a significant extent. MS1995:v2:1366-7;
als and so had at least an implied laudatory OT1968:1043; SS1984:819; GY2008:1260;
aspect. In a related semantic extension, it KJ1970:870; AS2007:387.
is now associated with quality brands in
merchandising, to the point that it can be Mnemonic: HAVE ONE’S NAME INSCRIBED IN
considered a definite meaning. carries
METAL – GOOD QUALITY METAL
滅2017 METSU, horobiru/bosu Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen). Consists
L1 destroy, perish of / 42 ‘water’, combined with 烕 (CO;
‘flames die out’; see Note below) as phonetic
13 strokes with associated sense ‘run out, can no longer
be seen’, giving ‘water runs out’; by exten-
METSUBŌ destruction sion, ‘perish, destroy’. Note: 烕 is comprised
ZETSUMETSU extinction of 8 ‘fire’, with 476 (CO; ‘type of battle-
HAMETSU destruction ax / halberd’) as phonetic with associated
sense ‘run out, disappear’, giving ‘flames die
out’. MS1995:v2:774-5,798-9; KJ1970:870;
OT1968:602.
Mnemonic: DESTROYED BY HALBERD, FIRE,
AND WATER
免2018 MEN, manukareru relating to headwear: Gu sees it as depict-
L1 escape, avoid ing a person wearing a ritual mourning cap,
while Shirakawa considers ‘remove helmet’
8 strokes as a meaning for some of the forms identi-
fied as later . ‘Come out’ and ‘avoid’ may be
MENJO exemption regarded as extended senses if ‘deliver new-
MENZEI tax-exempt born baby’ or ‘remove helmet’ is accepted as
HŌMEN acquittal the original meaning. A complicating factor
to this graph is what appears to be a degree
Bronze ; seal . Analyses diverge. Taken of confused usage involving NJK ‘rabbit,
in one view as consisting of 41 ‘person’, hare’, a graph similar in shape to from the
with (interpreted as ‘female genitalia’ or seal stage onwards (but not earlier); in this
‘hindquarters of animal’) as phonetic with connection, see 1029 also. KJ1970:818-20;
associated sense ‘submit’, giving ‘look down MS1995:v1:94-5; OT1968:89; TA1965:739-41;
in submission’ (Katō, Mizukami). This inter- GY2008:470,683; SS1984:820-21. We suggest
pretation, though, seems to be based on taking as two boxes, and as a crouch-
the seal form, and does not sit very well in ing person and as another person stand-
relation to the older bronze forms. Another ing (both escapees).
analysis takes literally as ‘female genita-
lia’ or ‘buttocks’, combined with ‘person’ Mnemonic: TWO ESCAPEES HIDING BEHIND
to give ‘deliver newborn baby’ (Ogawa, Tōdō;
Shirakawa sees this as one valid interpreta- TWO BOXES TO AVOID RECAPTURE
tion also), and this proposal is more plausi-
ble in terms of the bronze forms. Yet another Or: ESCAPE BY RUNNING LIKE A HARE
interpretation takes this graph as originally
The Remaining 1130 Characters 603
麺2019 MEN Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen); tradition-
L1 noodles, wheat, flour al . Consists of ‘wheat, barley’ (later
16 strokes 213, q.v.), with 丏 (CO; original meaning
uncertain: interpretations include ‘floating
MENRUI noodles plant’ [Mizukami] and ‘corpse’ [Shirakawa]) as
MENBŌ rolling pin phonetic [associated sense unclear]). , now
SEIMENJO noodle factory the standard form in Japanese, with 417
‘face’ as phonetic, appears to be a late variant.
OT1968:1161; SS1984:821,774; MS1995:v1:6-8.
Mnemonic: ON THE FACE OF IT, NOODLES
ARE MADE FROM WHEAT
茂2020 MO, shigeru Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 53
L1 grow thickly ‘plants’, with (NJK, ‘[type of ] halberd/
battle-ax’ 1591; see Note below) as phonetic
8 strokes with associated sense taken as i] ‘cover’, giving
‘plants cover’ (Tōdō, Ogawa), or ii] ‘luxuriant,
HANMO thick growth abundant’, giving ‘luxuriant vegetation’ (Gu,
MORIN dense forest Katō). Note: Mizukami also lists ‘(type of )
shigemi thicket plane’ as possible meaning for , which was
originally a pictograph, though the OBI and
bronze forms do suggest a weapon rather
than a tool. TA1965:237-8; OT1968:850,392;
GY2008:560; KJ1970:872; MS1995:v1:532-3.
Mnemonic: PLANTS GROW THICKLY – HAVE
TO CUT DOWN WITH HALBERD
妄2021 MŌ, BŌ, midari Bronze ; seal . Has 37 ‘woman’, with
L1 irrational, rash 985 ‘die, escape’ taken in one view as
6 strokes semantic and phonetic meaning ‘hidden,
not clear’ (see Note below), giving original
MŌSŌ delusion sense ‘unclear on account of woman, unclear
BŌGEN harsh words because bewitched by woman’ (Mizukami,
MEIMŌ fallacy Tōdō). Another analysis treats as phonetic
with associated sense ‘illogical, unreason-
able’ (Ogawa). Either way, the extended
sense is ‘random, arbitrary’. Note: early
meanings for listed by Schuessler include
‘lose, disappear’, which lends support to
the interpretation made by Mizukami and
Tōdō. MS1995:v1:312-3; TA1965:445-8;
OT1968:252.
Mnemonic: IRRATIONAL AND RASH WOMAN
DIES
604 The Remaining 1130 Characters
盲2022 MŌ, mekura Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 76 ‘eye’,
L1 blind with 985 (‘lose, die, disappear, not have’),
taken in one view as semantic and phonetic,
8 strokes giving ‘blind’ (Ogawa). Alternatively, is
regarded as phonetic in function with as-
MŌMOKU blindness sociated sense ‘hidden’, giving ‘hidden and
MONMŌ illiteracy not visible’, with ‘blind’ as an extended sense
mekuraBAN ‘rubber stamp’ (Tōdō). OT1968:696; TA1965:445-7.
Mnemonic: DEAD EYES ARE BLIND
耗2023 MŌ as ‘grain’ as a general term encompassing
L1 waste, decrease millet, wheat, and rice, not just rice alone;
as above, Katō takes in the general sense.
10 strokes Another commentator treats here as
semantic and phonetic meaning ‘small’, and
SHŌMŌ consumption considers it to denote ‘small grains of rice’
SONMŌ wastage, loss (sic; Ogawa). As for the change in shape
MAMŌ wear and tear to , with the determinative changed
from ‘grain’ to ’plow’ (CO, 699), this
Seal (秏) ; a late graph (Shuowen). The appears to have been a change made at
seal form has 87 ‘grain’ (generic), with some point in block script. Kangxi zidian
230 (‘hair, fur’) as phonetic with associated has entries for both 秏 and ; in the entry
sense taken in one view as ‘empty’, giving for the former, it is noted that ‘texts nowa-
original meaning ‘grain missing, no grain’, days all use ’. KJ1970:172-3; OT1968:808;
and by extension ‘empty; run out, use up’ MS1995:v2:960-61,1054-5; SK1984:588;
(Katō). Shuowen defines 秏 as ‘type of rice’, DJ2009:v2:565; ZY2009:v3:869,1000;. We sug-
which is how the graph and underlying word gest taking as multi-branched tree 73.
may have been used around the time of
compilation of Shuowen, but is originally Mnemonic: MULTIPLE BRANCHES ON TREE
a pictograph of a grain plant with the head
leaning down, and is generally understood WASTE AWAY TO LOOK LIKE HAIRS
猛2024 MŌ differ. In one view, comprises 27 ‘child’,
L1 fierce, raging, brave, with 300 ‘bowl, cover’ taken as phonetic
with associated sense ‘first’, giving ‘first child’
strong (Mizukami). Alternatively, is taken as se-
mantic meaning ‘cover’, giving ‘child emerges
11 strokes (from beneath cover)/grows’ (Tōdō). Another
view takes semantically as a bowl for
MŌRETSU fierceness bathing, giving ‘newborn baby’s first bath’,
MŌJŪ fierce animal and hence ‘first’. Schuessler says ‘eldest (of
MOSA* a stalwart fellow siblings); first’. OT1968:645; GY2008:1291;
KJ1970:769; MS1995:v1:352-3; TA1965:449-54;
Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 19 AS2007:381.
‘dog’, with (‘first child; beginning’; see Note Mnemonic: FIERCE DOG GETS TO BOWL
below) as phonetic with associated sense ‘vig- BEFORE BRAVE INFANT
orous, strong, violent’, giving ‘fierce/violent
dog’. Meanings such as ‘brave’ are extended
senses. Note: analyses of (NJK, ‘beginning’)
The Remaining 1130 Characters 605
網2025 MŌ, ami as phonetic with associated sense ‘mix,
L1 net, network intertwine’, giving ‘net made of intertwined/
interwoven material’. Later was borrowed
14 strokes for its sound value as a convenient means of
representing several grammatical function
GYOMŌ fishing net words of negative meaning, so to clarify the
amido screen door word for ‘net’ in writing 29 ‘thread’ was
TSŪSHINMŌ news network added, resulting in . QX2000:181,223,227-
8; KJ1970:782; MS1995:v2:1030-31;
OBI ( ) ; seal form A ( ) ; seal form B DJ2009:v2:617; SS1984:822-3; WD1974:759-
. OBI form (bronze also) is a pictograph of 61. Suggest taking as cover, horns ,
and ‘dead’ 985.
a net, probably for catching wild animals or
fish. Main entry for the graph in Shuowen has Mnemonic: DEAD HORNED CREATURE
(see 570), but goes on to give and as COVERED BY THREADED NET
alternative forms. comprises (variant of
) with 985 (‘lose, disappear, die’) added
黙2026 MOKU, damaru Seal ; late graph (Shuowen); traditional
L1 be silent form: . Has 19 ‘dog’, with (traditional
form of 137 ‘black’) as phonetic with asso-
15 strokes ciated sense ‘nothing, silent’, thus ‘dog which
is quiet’; by extension, ‘silent’. KJ1970:864-5;
MOKUSATSU give no reply OT1968:647; TA1965:165; GY2008:1885-6.
CHINMOKU silence
damarikomu fall silent Mnemonic: BLACK DOG IS SILENT
紋2027 MON A late, post-Shuowen graph. Originally writ-
L1 crest, pattern ten just as 72 (original meaning ‘pattern’;
now ‘writing, text’). was used increasingly
10 strokes to mean ‘writing’, and when the meaning
‘pattern’ was intended this was indicated by
MONSHŌ heraldic crest adding 29 ‘thread’ as determinative to
SHIMON fingerprint give . In Japanese, is now typically ‘crest’.
HAMON ripple OT1968:771; SS1984:825; KJ1970:220.
Mnemonic: THREADS IN CREST FORM
PATTERN LIKE WRITING
冶2028 YA Bronze ; seal . Seal form consists of
L1 smelt, melt 401 ‘ice’, with (‘I, me’; see Note below) as
phonetic with associated sense taken in one
7 strokes approach either as i] ‘grow slack, relax’, or ii]
‘modify’. Either way, the resultant meaning is
YAKIN metallurgy ‘smelt metal’ (in the case of i], by extension,
TŌYA training and in ii] by indirect extension on the basis
kajiya* blacksmith ‘modify metal in the same way as melting
ice’). Another interpretation, though, takes
the right-hand element in one of the bronze
occurrences as a shape representing not ‘ice’
606 The Remaining 1130 Characters
but ‘fire’. This commentator (Gu) still recog- own’, or ‘plow’) as phonetic with associated
nises ‘ice’ as the determinative in the seal sense ‘I, me’. MS1995:v1:116-8,204-5,188-90;
form, explaining this as being by analogy OT1968:103; GY2008:487. For mnemonic
(melting of ice and smelting metal both purposes only, we suggest taking here as
resulting in liquid states). Note: On the basis ‘platform’, or alternatively as nose and
of sound values and older forms (bronze and as mouth 22.
seal) the phonetic element in is to be
taken not as 183 ‘stand, platform’ (tradi- Mnemonic: A PLATFORM MADE OF ICE CAN
tional form: ), but a different graph of the EASILY MELT
same shape meaning ‘(say) I, me’. The latter
consists of 22 ‘mouth; speak’, with Or: ICE COVERS NOSE AND MOUTH –
(interpretations vary, but include ‘make one’s HOPEFULLY IT WILL MELT SOON!
弥2029 ya, iya, BI, MI ‘slacken, loosen’. Senses such as ‘increasingly’
L1 increasingly, are the result of a loan use. The right-hand
element of perhaps reflects adaptation
all the more to block script of a cursified version of this
graph, with the number of strokes reduced
8 strokes through writing cursively. KJ1970:484;
KZ2001:757-8/3671; OT1968:340. Difficult
Yayoi* period c400BC-cAD250 mnemonically, but we suggest taking the
yaJIuma mob, onlookers right-hand part as variant ‘person’ 41,
SHAMI Buddhist acolyte and ‘small’ 38.
Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen); traditional Mnemonic: BOW-MAN HAS INCREASINGLY
. The seal form consists of 107 ‘bow’,
SMALL TARGET – ALL THE MORE
with a variant of 1419 “Imperial seal’ (q.v.)
minus the dot low down, as phonetic with CHALLENGING
associated sense ‘slacken, loosen’; this gives
‘unstring a bow’; meaning then extended to
厄2030 YAKU Bronze ; seal . Typically treated as
L1 misfortune, disaster originally a pictograph of a yoke attached
to a horse’s neck (Gu, Ogawa, Shirakawa).
4 strokes In another view, taken as comprising lower
element for ‘person kneeling’ ( 41), and
YAKKAI trouble
YAKUbi bad day (‘cliff’) as phonetic with associated sense
SAIYAKU calamity ‘protrude’, giving ‘hunchback kneeling’
(noted in Mizukami). An alternative treat-
ment takes as ‘cliff’, with ; the latter
element being interpreted as ‘person (non-
upright)’, giving ‘(person) hard-pressed to
move’ (also noted in Mizukami). Either way,
‘disaster, calamity’ is loan usage. GY2008:70;
OT1968:148; SS1984:826; MS1995:v1:184-5.
Mnemonic: DISASTER! PERSON HAS FALLEN
DOWN CLIFF AND CAN’T STAND
The Remaining 1130 Characters 607
躍2031 YAKU, odoru leap up’. Latter meaning was clarified by
L1 leap, dance, rush adding , thus . Typically, here is taken
as phonetic with the above associated sense,
21 strokes but Gu takes as both semantic and phonetic
in function. TA1965:247-9; OT1968:977;
YAKUSHIN rush, dash MS1995:v2:1048-9; GY2008:1245; AS2007:
HIYAKU leap 497; KJ1970:874. Take literally as ‘bird’
odorikomu rush into 324 and ‘wings’ 82.
Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 54 Mnemonic: LEAP WITH FEET FLYING LIKE
‘leg/foot’, and 236, CO meaning ‘pheasant’
but also in word-family meaning ‘rise up, BIRD’S WINGS
闇2032 yami, AN giving ‘close gate’ (Ogawa), or ii] ‘put inside
L1 darkness, gloom and close’, giving ‘put inside gates/entrance
and close, making it dark’ (Tōdō). Tōdō
17 strokes takes ‘dark’ as an extended sense, while
a noted pre-modern commentator on
yamiichi black market Shuowen (Duan Yucai, 1735-1815) regards
AN’YA dark night as a loan use. OT1968:1062; TA1965:815-24;
yūyami dusk, twilight DJ2009:v3:967.
Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 231 Mnemonic: SOUNDS COME THROUGH GATE
‘gate, door’, with 6 (‘sound’) as phonetic
with associated sense taken as i] ‘cover’, IN THE DARK GLOOM
喩2033 YU, tatoeru for scraping/gouging out’, but giving the
L1 compare, liken same overall meaning. Shirakawa, alterna-
tively again, takes as ‘bowl’ (presumably
12 strokes a meaning extended from ‘hollow out log as
boat’ [based on a classical Chinese source, but
HIYU metaphor, simile Tōdō does not agree]) and the main part of
HIYUTEKI figurative the second element as a large surgical needle
KAN’YU metonymy for removing blood and pus, with the ac-
companying single stroke as ‘showing blood
Seal a late graph (Shuowen). Consists of and pus being transferred into the bowl’.
22 ‘mouth; speak’, with (CO, ‘hollow out log The graph ( ) exhibits some variation in
as boat’; see Note below) as phonetic with shape in bronze. OT1968:191; KJ1970:500-01;
associated sense ‘transfer, change’, giving MS1995:v1:100-01; SS1984:829; AS2007:623;
original meaning ‘instruct’. ‘Speak figuratively, TA1965:173-4. Difficult mnemonically, but we
compare’ may perhaps be an extended sense. suggest taking 209 as ‘meat, body’, with ar-
Note: the bronze form of is interpreted rows/pointers 巜 pointing to it, as a cover,
in one view as 1450 ‘boat’, with a second and using not as ‘speak’ but rather as ‘hole’.
element which is interpreted as ‘snake/
cicada with cast-off skin’, giving ‘hollow out Mnemonic: ARROWS POINT TO HOLE IN
inner part of log and leave outer part as boat’
(Katō). Mizukami notes an alternative view BODY IN NEED OF COVERING – NEVER SEEN
which takes the second element as ‘blade
THE LIKE OF IT! INCOMPARABLE!
608 The Remaining 1130 Characters
愉2034 YU Bronze ; seal ; traditional form has
L1 joy, pleasure as right-hand element. Consists of /
12 strokes 164 ‘heart, mind, feelings’, with (CO,
‘hollow out log as boat’; see 2033 Note) as
YUKAI pleasure phonetic with associated sense taken either
YUETSU joy as i] ‘clear’, giving ‘one’s heart/mind is clear’
YURAKU pleasure (Katō), or ii] ‘pull out, remove’, giving ‘persis-
tent negative feelings are removed’ (noted
in Mizukami; Ogawa is in broad agree-
ment). ‘Joy, pleasure’ appear to be extended
senses. KJ1970:880-81; MS1995:v1:518-9;
OT1968:383. We suggest taking as ‘meat’
209, as ‘cut’ 198, and as a cover.
Mnemonic: FEELINGS OF JOY ABOUT CUT
MEAT BEING COVERED
諭2035 YU, satosu Seal ; late graph (Shuowen); traditional
L1 instruct, admonish form has as right-hand element. Has
118 ‘words, speak’, with (CO; see 2033 Note)
16 strokes as phonetic with associated sense taken as i]
‘clarify’, giving ‘make clear with words’ (Katō),
KYŌYU instructor or ii] ‘remove’, giving ‘remove that which is not
SETSUYU admonition understood’, giving ‘instruct, give guidance’
YUSHI official advice (Ogawa). KJ1970:881; OT1968:939. As with
2034, we suggest taking as ‘meat’ 209, as
‘cut’ 198, and 亼 as a cover.
Mnemonic: VERBALLY ADMONISH AND IN-
STRUCT HOW TO COVER CUT MEAT
癒2036 YU, iyasu phonetic may be taken as a variant of .
L1 cure, heal, vent Note: Shirakawa sees and (traditional
form of 2034 has ) as variants of same
18 strokes graph, difference in form of ‘heart/feelings’
determinative ( / , 164) not significant.
CHIYU cure Mizukami, though, sees and as two
HEIYU recovery different graphs, but does not elaborate.
YUGŌ knitting (wound) OT1968:682; SS1984:830-31; GY2008:1624;
MS1995:v1:518-9. Take as ‘meat’ 209,
Seal ( ) ; late, post-Shuowen graph. Has as ‘cut’ 198, and 亼 as a cover.
404 ‘sick(bed)’, with (see 2033 Note)
Mnemonic: FEEL ILL OVER COVERED CUT
(later ) as phonetic with associated sense
‘emerge, quietly leave’, giving ‘emerge from MEAT – NEED CURE
illness’, i.e. ‘heal’. In the graph , as
The Remaining 1130 Characters 609
唯2037 YUI, I, tada OBI ; seal . Has 22 ‘mouth’, with
L1 solely, only, merely, 324 (‘bird’) as phonetic, in one view taken
with associated sense ‘prompt answer’, seen
prompt as ‘acknowledgment’ (Mizukami), or ‘agree-
ment’ (Ogawa). Another view treats ‘bird’
11 strokes as both semantic and phonetic in function,
giving ‘birds chirp agreement alike/together’
YUIITSU sole, unique (Gu). Later borrowed for similarly pro-
tadaima now; “I’m home” nounced word meaning ‘just, only’. ‘Prompt’
IIDAKUDAKU readily is now rare. MS1995:v1:236-7; OT1968:186;
GY2008:1241.
Mnemonic: SOLE BIRD HAS MOUTH, AND
ONLY MERELY NEEDS PROMPTING
幽2038 YŪ, kasuka with associated sense ‘black and unclear,
L1 dark, obscure, faint, dim’, giving ‘burning fire produces smoke and
blackened effect’ (Mizukami, Katō). By exten-
wretched sion, this led on to a whole raft of meanings
such as ‘dark, profound, dim, obscure, faint,
9 strokes wretched, lonely’. It can also have connota-
tions of other-worldiness and mysteriousness.
YŪGEN mystery MS1995:v1:448-9; KJ1970:33; T1968:324.
YŪKYŌ lonely place Though the element ‘mountain’ is a result
YŪKAI nether world of misinterpretation, it is useful as mnemonic.
OBI ; seal . Consists of 8 ‘fire’, (misinter- Mnemonic: FOLLOW FAINT THREADS
preted in Shuowen as 26 ‘mountain’) with
THROUGH DARK AND WRETCHED MOUNTAINS
29 (‘very fine/barely visible threads’) taken
either i] as semantic and phonetic, giving
‘light of fire is dim’ (Ogawa), or ii] as phonetic
悠2039 YŪ ner’. Note: is comprised of ( ) 112 ‘hit,
L1 composed, ample, strike’, with left-hand element interpreted
as either ‘remove dirt’, giving overall mean-
distant, long time ing ‘remove dirt’, or ‘water drips down’ (some
bronze occurrences of have three short
11 strokes vertical strokes instead of one [ ] to the
right of 41 (‘person’), lending support to
YŪZEN calm interpretation as ‘water’), giving ‘cleanse body
YŪCHŌ leisure by letting water drip onto it’. Both interpreta-
YŪKYŪ eternity tions are noted in Mizukami. OT1968:373;
MS1995:v1:512-3,568-9; KJ1970:25-6. We sug-
Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen). Consists of gest taking the upper part as 41 ‘person’,
164 ‘feelings, heart, mind’, with (CO, as long stick, and strike .
‘remove dirt/defilement’; see Note below’) as Mnemonic: STRIKE PERSON WITH LONG
phonetic with associated sense taken in one
view as ‘shake, jolt’, giving ‘one’s heart shakes, STICK FOR A LONG TIME, BUT FEELINGS STILL
lament’ (Ogawa). This associated sense is
noted by Mizukami along with another, viz. COMPOSED
‘continue in tenuous way’, giving ‘feelings
continue in delicate and unhurried man-
610 The Remaining 1130 Characters
湧2040 YŪ, waku , for which there is a seal form in Shuowen
L1 boil, seethe, gush (see Note below). Note: is comprised of
12 strokes ‘water’, with (CO, artefact with hollow
center and a top feature for hanging/attach-
YŪSHUTSU gush(ing) ing; Schuessler says ‘suspension ring at top
wakitatsu seethe, boil of bell’: see also 193 for a similar shaped
wakiokoru arise element) as phonetic with associated sense
‘project up/out’, giving ‘water bubbles up/
A late, post-Shuowen graph. Consists of boils’. SS1984:845,646; DJ2009:v3:898;
/ 42 ‘water’, combined with 622 GY2008:1138-9; OT1968:598; AS2007:578.
(‘brave, valiant’) as phonetic with associated Mnemonic: HOW BRAVE TO TAKE ON
sense ‘project, jut out/up’ (Ogawa), giving
‘water boils’. The graph appears to equate to SEETHING WATER
猶2041 YŪ, nao Chinese as a loan also for its sound value to
L1 delay, hesitate, still represent a range of grammatical function
words, including ‘still’. ‘Delay’ is an extended
more meaning from ‘hesitate’. Note: consists
of 318 ‘wine jar’, combined with 70
12 strokes (‘eight’) in its original sense ‘disperse, away,
off, out’, and taken in one interpretation as
YŪYO delay, postponement representing wine about to overflow from a
YŪSHI foster child wine jar (Gu). Another analysis, by contrast,
YŪYOKIKAN grace period takes the top strokes as indicating wine fra-
grance being emitted, and hence ‘matured
Bronze seal ; traditional form ( ) has wine’ (Mizukami, Ogawa). The latter analysis
on right. Consists of / 19 ‘dog’ (but leads quite readily to the passage of time as
an extended sense. MS1995:v2:836-7,1344-5;
sometimes used to denote other wild ani- OT1968:646,1024; GY2008:923-4; KJ1970:24;
mals/beasts; here, ‘monkey’), with (‘chief’; QX2000:280; AS2007:580; WD1974:847-9. We
see Note below) as phonetic with associated suggest taking as ‘beast’.
sense taken either as i] ‘flinch, shrink back’
(Ogawa), or ii] ‘hesitant, distrustful’ (Katō), Mnemonic: BEAST HESITATES NEAR FUMING
either way giving ‘(type of ) distrustful mon-
key’; Qiu notes Shuowen definition as ‘kind WINE JAR, CAUSING STILL MORE DELAY
of large (female) ape’. The sense was then
generalized to ‘doubt, hesitate’; used in early
裕2042 YŪ, yutaka Bronze ; seal . Consists of 444
L1 rich, plentiful ‘garment’, with 135 (‘valley’) as phonetic
with associated sense ‘leeway, margin,
12 strokes abundance’, giving ‘plentiful garments’. The
meaning was then generalized to ‘leeway,
YŪFUKU opulence abundance’. KJ1970:887-8; OT1968:906;
YOYŪ margin, surplus AS2007:589,259.
FUYŪKAIKYŪ the wealthy
Mnemonic: PLENTIFUL RICH CLOTHES,
ENOUGH TO FILL A VALLEY
The Remaining 1130 Characters 611
雄2043 YŪ, osu, o- (Ogawa), or ii] ‘light, vivid colors’, giving ‘bird
L1 male, powerful of beautiful colors, male bird’ (Katō), or iii]
‘make outer frame taut’, giving ‘male bird
12 strokes puffs up its frame’ (Tōdō). Note: Seal form of
厷 has a shape similar to , here a picto-
YŪBEN eloquence graphic representation of an arm bent at the
YŪDAI grandeur elbow, combined with 2003 ‘right hand’
o-osu bull (sometimes just ‘hand’). OT1968:1077,817;
KJ1970:265,397; MS1995:v1:190-91. We sug-
Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen). Consists gest taking 厷 literally, as ‘arm and elbow’.
of 324 ‘bird’, combined with 厷 (CO,
‘arm, elbow’; see Note below) as phonetic Mnemonic: POWERFUL MALE BIRD HAS
with associated sense taken as i] ‘bold’,
‘courageous’, giving ‘bold bird, male bird’ ARMS AND ELBOWS!?
誘2044 YŪ, sasou Seal forms ( ), ; a late graph (Shuowen).
L1 invite, tempt, lead Shuowen has as the entry heading, which it
defines as ‘lead on, beguile’ and then goes on
14 strokes to note as an alternative form. One scholar
(Shirakawa) questions whether Shuowen is
YŪWAKU seduction correct in equating with . has 118
YŪDŌ induction ‘words; speak’, with 1451 (‘excel’) as
sasoimizu pump-priming phonetic with associated sense ‘put for-
ward, promote’, giving ‘encourage, entice’.
DJ2009:v2:740; OT1968:933; SS1984:839.
Mnemonic: EXCELLENT INVITING WORDS
MAY LEAD TO TEMPTATION
憂2045 YŪ, uree(/ru), ui associated sense ‘do as one pleases’, thus
L1 grief, sorrow giving original meaning ‘stroll around as one
pleases’ (Mizukami); ‘lament, grieve’ is loan
15 strokes usage in this view. Another analysis takes
as ‘head’ combined with ‘heart, mind,
YŪSHŪ grief, gloom feelings’ and ‘drag the foot’ (sic, but this is
ureegao sad look the meaning of similarly-shaped ), giving
monoui weary, gloomy ‘legs unsteady through worry’ (also noted in
Mizukami). For the troublesome elements
Seal ( ) ; a late graph (Shuowen). (the
original form of in Shuowen) has 164 and , see Appendix. DJ2009:v3:866;
‘heart, mind, feelings’, with 103 (‘head’) MS1995:v1:518-19,524-5; KJ1970:36. We sug-
as phonetic with associated sense taken gest taking the lower part as crossed legs,
as i] ‘shrink, flinch’, thus giving ‘one’s heart upper part as variant or ‘strange’ head ,
shrinks/flinches’, or ii] ‘thin, flimsy’, giving and ‘heart’ in the middle.
‘one’s heart grows weak with worries’, or iii]
‘faint, dim, easily sinks’, giving ‘one’s heart Mnemonic: SIT CROSS-LEGGED, HEAD AND
easily sinks through fear’ (the above inter-
pretations all listed in Mizukami). In one HEART FULL OF GRIEF
view, the fuller form is taken as ‘foot,
footprint’, combined with as phonetic with Or: GRIEF IN THE HEART MAKES HEAD GO
STRANGE AND LEGS CROSS
612 The Remaining 1130 Characters
融2046 YŪ, tokeru dissolve’ is an extended sense or loan use of
L1 dissolve, melt . Note: here may also have an onomato-
16 strokes poeic connotation for the sound of steam
escaping (Mizukami, Katō), but the early Chi-
YŪWA softening nese values for are not really supportive
KIN’YŪ finance of this. DJ2009:v1:240; MS1995:v2:1148-9;
YŪZŪ finance, versatility KJ1970:881; AS2007:189,443; TA1965:185-9.
We suggest taking as ‘one’ 1 round pot
Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen). Consists of
NJK 1431 ‘three-legged cauldron (with , and stand .
hollow legs)’ with 60 (‘insect’) as phonetic
with associated sense ‘rise up’, giving ‘steam Mnemonic: DISSOLVE INSECTS IN ONE
rises/escapes’. It is not clear whether ‘melt,
ROUND POT ON STAND
与2047 YO, ataeru the centre element was modified to a shape
L2 give, convey, impart, similar to , an abbreviated form which be-
involve came popular in the Northern Wei dynasty
(387-534AD). Raising something up with
3 strokes the hands is a time-honored convention
when presenting a gift, hence the extended
ataenushi donor, giver sense ‘give’; ‘take part’ is also an extended
KAN’YO involvement sense. Note: Mizukami takes the graph/ele-
JUYOSHIKI award ceremony ment concerned to be , while Katō takes
it as . For (‘fang[s]/tusk[s]’), see 1090.
Bronze ; seal ; traditional . Mizukami MS1995:v2:1359-61; FC1974:v2:1851-3;
gives OBI forms, typically with four hands KJ1970:136; GY2008:27. Despite being one
holding – and apparently lifting up – some of the least stroke number characters, it is
sort of frame. Bronze forms also show four surprisingly hard to make a mnemonic, but
hands, and between them what is interpret- if we take the graph as a whole, we might
ed by several commentators as a graph/ele- see a picture of a person with long legs and
ment meaning ‘canine teeth’ and by exten- short arms sitting on a bench or similar,
sion ‘mesh/come together’ (see Note below). waiting for donations; that is, a beggar.
Gu, though, interprets as hands lifting some-
thing up, with 22 ‘mouth, speak’ serving Mnemonic: GIVE TO BEGGAR WITH SHORT
to emphasize cooperation and friendship.
At the seal stage, the element ‘mouth, ARMS AND LONG LEGS SITTING ON BENCH
speak’ was omitted, and what remained of
誉2048 YO, homare as i] ‘lift up’, giving ‘praise’ (Tōdō, Ogawa), or
L1 honor, fame, praise ii] ‘call out loudly’, giving ‘proclaim someone’s
fame’ (Katō). The abbreviated shape ap-
13 strokes pears to be based on cursivized occurrences
(calligraphic models of Tang Dynasty onwards)
MEIYO honor, fame of . TA1965:428-9; OT1968:929; KJ1970:136;
EIYO honor, fame FC1974:v2:2087-8. We suggest taking the up-
homaretakai renowned per part as ‘laden table’.
Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen); traditional Mnemonic: FAME BRINGS WORDS OF PRAISE
form: . Consists of 118 ‘words; speak’, with
AND LADEN TABLE
2047 (traditional form of ‘give, take part’)
as phonetic with associated sense taken either
The Remaining 1130 Characters 613
妖2049 YO, ayashii representing a figure with tilted head act-
L1 enchanting, ominous ing flirtatiously (Mizukami; Katō is in broad
agreement). Ogawa also takes it to show
7 strokes a tilted head, but as an infant with supple
body, giving ‘young’. was used in early
YŌFU enchantress Chinese texts not just for the words with the
YŌJUTSU witchcraft positive meanings just noted, but also for
YŌUN ominous cloud words which were near-homophone(s) with
negative meanings. was added later to
Seal ( ) ; late graph (Shuowen). Shuowen minimize ambiguity in writing between the
has 37 ‘woman’, with 芺 (CO, a bitter- two. The semantic progression for the group
tasting type of plant) as phonetic; the graph of words with negative associations is con-
is defined in that work as ‘skilful, or “woman sidered to be as follows: ‘bend’ > ‘break, cut
smiling/laughing” ’. Later form has off’ > ’kill prematurely’(later, ) (Schuessler).
combined with ‘young, beautiful’ (see DJ2009:v3:1022; ZY2009:v3:1066; OT1968:
Note below) taken in one view as semantic 254,244; AS2007:559-60; MS1995:v1:296-8;
and phonetic, giving ‘seductive, enticing (fe- KJ1970:84-5. Take as ‘big man’ 56 with
male)’ (Ogawa). Later, also used in negative big head .
senses such as ‘ominous, unlucky’, possibly
as a result of interchange or contamina- Mnemonic: WOMAN ENCHANTS BIG MAN
tion between and (see Note below).
Note: is interpreted in one analysis as WITH BIG HEAD – SEEMS OMINOUS
庸2050 YO Zhongyong (Doctrine of the Mean), in
L1 ordinary, work which has the sense ‘level out’, and on
that basis treats ‘ordinary’ as an extended
11 strokes sense. Note: is taken by Katō as originally
showing pounding with pestle, involv-
CHŪYŌ middle path ing repeated raising and lowering, thus
BON’YŌ banality extended sense ‘repeat, do continuously’.
SOYŌCHŌ corvee, labor Mizukami also notes a view that it shows
a ‘strong stick having a “Y” shape’, which is
OBI ; seal . Has (bronze form ; in line with Katō’s view. KJ1970:884,942;
originally ‘hold pestle with both hands MS1995:v1:450-51,454-5,450-52; TA1965:290.
and pound grain’ [NJK; now calendar sign], Take elements as ‘building’ 127, 肀 as
see Note below), with 235 ‘use, employ’ hand holding stick, and ‘use’.
as semantic and phonetic, giving overall
meaning ‘work continuously’ (Katō), or Mnemonic: HAND USES STICK TO DO
‘work on grain harvest’ > ‘work’ (Ogawa).
Tōdō points to title of Confucian classic ORDINARY WORK IN BUILDING
揚2051 YŌ, ageru Bronze ; seal . Originally (OBI, bronze)
L1 raise, fry consists of 丮 (CO; depiction of a kneeling
12 strokes figure doing something with the hands: see
YŌSUI pumping water also 1424), combined with 161 (originally
ageba landing place
agemono fried food ‘sun rises’, modern meanings ‘change, easy’,
see Note below) as phonetic with associated
sense ‘rise/lift up’, giving ‘lift up with the
hands’. At the seal stage, 丮 was changed to
扌/ 34 ‘hand’ Note: the original top ele-
614 The Remaining 1130 Characters
ment in bronze stage equivalents of 昜 is ‘jade disc/precious stone on a stand’, with
taken in one view to be 66 ‘sun’; Katō rays of reflected light (Shirakawa), leading to
considers the lower elements to be 丂 130 ‘raise up (as an offering)’. The meaning ‘fry’ is
(‘floating aquatic plant’, q.v.) as phonetic probably loan usage, though it may possibly
with associated sense ‘rise’, together with relate to raising some food item from a vat,
彡 115 ‘feathers, colored feathers’, the latter which would suggest an extended mean-
representing colored (reflected) rays of the ing. MS1995:v1:558-9,618-9; KJ1970:877-8;
sun. According to Katō, the overall meaning SS1984:846,849.
then becomes ‘colors/brilliance of the risen
morning sun’; ‘rise up’ is an extended sense. Mnemonic: HAND RAISED TO RISING SUN
Another analysis takes the top part of as
MAY GET FRIED
揺2052 YŌ, yuru/reru/ragu ing overall meaning ‘shake, sway’. Note: 䍃
L1 shake, swing, rock consists of , originally meaning ‘earthen-
ware vessel’ 1141 (here in 2052 taken as
12 strokes representative of pottery/earthenware), with
DŌYŌ shaking ( ) 209 ‘meat, flesh’ as phonetic with
yuri-isu rocking chair associated sense ‘bake [tiles etc.]’ (Katō; Gu is
yuredome stabiliser in broad agreement). The modern form has
a simplification to the upper right element.
Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen); traditional KJ1970:83-4; TA1965:195-6; OT1968:424;
. Consists of / 34 ‘hand’, with 䍃 (CO, GY2008:1089-90. We suggest taking 1739
‘reaching hand, claw’, and 1141 as ‘can’.
‘bake pottery/earthenware’; see Note below)
as phonetic with associated sense taken as i] Mnemonic: SHAKING HANDS REACH FOR
‘move without stopping’ (Katō), or ii] ‘shake’
(Tōdō), or iii] ‘supple, pliant’ (Ogawa), giv- CAN – TOO MUCH SWINGING AND ROCKING!
溶2053 YŌ, tokeru/kasu Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen). Consists of
L2 melt, dissolve water’ 42, with 822 (‘contain; appear-
13 strokes ance’) as phonetic with associated sense
taken as i] ‘vigorous/extensive’, giving ‘pour
YŌEKI (liquid) solution water into container up to the brim’ (Katō),
YŌKAI melt, dissolve or ii] ‘well up’, giving ‘current/force of water
tokeau melt together is strong’ (Ogawa). The senses ‘melt’ and
‘dissolve’ appear to represent loan usage
resulting from earlier interchangeability
between with ‘melt’ and ‘smelt/
melt’ (both NJK) (Ogawa, Katō). OT1968:602;
KJ1970:888. We suggest taking as 30
‘roof, house’ and 135 ‘valley’.
Mnemonic: HOUSE DISSOLVES IN VALLEY
FULL OF WATER
The Remaining 1130 Characters 615
腰2054 YŌ, koshi A late, post-Shuowen graph. For many cen-
L2 hip, lower back, turies, the word for ‘waist’ was written as just
manner 623 (‘need, vital’, q.v.), but the latter graph
acquired extended meanings such as ‘vital,
13 strokes important’, and so to then lessen ambiguity
in writing, / 209 ‘flesh, meat; body’ was
YŌTSŪ lumbago added as determinative to clearly show the
koshiNIKU loin meat meaning ‘waist’. ‘Bearing, manner’ would
monogoshi bearing, manner seem to be extended senses (cf. English
‘stand straight’) SS1984:851; GY2008:810;
OT1968:826.
Mnemonic: HIP IS VITAL PART OF BODY
瘍2055 YŌ Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen). Consists
L1 ulcer, boil, tumor, of 404 ‘sick(bed)’, with 161 (‘colors of
risen morning sun’, etc.; see 2051 Note) as
carbuncle phonetic. The commentators below do not
specify the associated sense, but it may be
14 strokes taken as ‘rise, emerge’, giving ‘boil, ulcer,
tumor’. OT1968:681; SS1984:852.
SHUYŌ tumor
KAIYŌ ulcer Mnemonic: SUNRAYS MAY HELP SOMEONE
IKAIYŌ stomach ulcer
SICK WITH A TUMOR OR ULCER
踊2056 YŌ, odoru ‘Dance’ may be regarded as an extended
L2 dance, leap sense if one follows this view. In similar vein,
Katō also regards the meaning of the graph
14 strokes as ‘feet leaving the ground’, hence ‘dance’.
OT1968:973; SS1984:852; KJ1985:589-90. We
BUYŌ dance, dancing suggest taking the elements as ‘leg’,
odoriko dancing girl as ‘use’ 235, and as ‘bent knee’ (or ‘bent
BON odori Bon Dance elbow’ for those who ‘do the turkey’).
Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen). Has 54 Mnemonic: WHEN DANCING, USE YOUR
‘foot, leg’, combined with (CO, ‘suspension LEGS, BENDING YOUR KNEES TO LEAP
ring at top of bell’; see 2040 Note) as pho-
netic with associated sense ‘hit, strike’, giving Or: WHEN DANCING, LEAP USING YOUR LEGS
original meaning ‘stamp feet on the ground’. AND ELBOWS !?
Shirakawa suggests this may have been part
of a funerary ritual, but does not elaborate.
窯2057 YŌ, kama Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen). Consists
L1 kiln, oven of 860 ‘hole, cave’, combined with
(NJK, ‘newborn lamb’), taken in one view
15 strokes as phonetic with associated sense ‘bake’,
giving ‘cavity for baking earthenware’, i.e.
YŌGYŌ ceramics ‘kiln, oven’ (Ogawa). The graph is made
YŌGYŌKA ceramist up of 426 (‘sheep’, slightly abbreviated
KANSŌgama drying kiln to ), combined with ( ) 8, ‘fire’ mak-
616 The Remaining 1130 Characters
ing it a distinct possibility that ‘roast a certain seal forms, the shape of which might
lamb’ may have been the original meaning, be interpreted as ‘lamb/sheep standing’.
then generalized to ‘roast, bake’, but most Note, though, that Ma and Gu give much
commentators do not favor this analysis, older OBI forms that clearly have as the
probably in part at least because Shuowen bottom element. A later popular variant of
defines as ‘newborn lamb’. Amniotic fluid
takes its name from the Greek term amnos is , with 䍃 ‘bake pottery/earthenware’
(lamb), and features in some graphs relating (CO; see 2052 Note) as the lower element.
to human birth (see 432), so it is tempting OT1968:743; SS1984:852,302-3; MR2007:294;
to interpret the four dots in the modern GY2008:1121. We suggest taking as ‘little
form as droplets of amniotic fluid. However, sheep’ (i.e. lamb), along with ‘hole’ 860 as
the seal form above shows clearly that it is ‘pit’, and ‘fire’ 8.
definitely the fire determinative. Shirakawa
supports ‘newborn lamb’ on the basis of Mnemonic: FIREPIT FOR ROASTING LAMB
CAN ALSO BE KILN OR OVEN
擁2058 YŌ netic in was later abbreviated to 雍. Note:
L1 embrace, protect 雝 is comprised of 324 ‘bird’, with (CO;
‘external moat [around city, etc.]’) as phonetic
16 strokes with associated sense ‘enclose, block off’.
Mizukami also notes an alternative interpreta-
YŌGO protection, help tion, namely ‘enclose and protect birds’. Either
YŌRITSU support way, the overall meaning is still ‘embrace,
HŌYŌ embrace surround’. KJ1970:884; OT1968:431.1078;
MS1995:v2:1412-3,1318-9; ZY2009:v2:442,436;
Seal ( ) ; a late graph (Shuowen). The AS2007:577. We suggest taking the graph’s
seal form has / 34 ‘hand’, with 雝 (CO, elements as ‘hand’ , ‘bird’ , top , and 乡
as variant of ‘short thread’, 29.
‘bird protects its eggs’; see Note below) as
Mnemonic: HAND PROTECTS BIRD WITH
phonetic with associated sense ‘surround,
THREAD-LIKE CREST ON TOP
enclose’, giving ‘enclose with the hands/arms,
embrace’; by extension, ‘protect’. Kangxi zidian
lists both and , but the entry refers
the reader to as the main entry. 雝 as pho-
謡2059 YŌ, utai, utau in narrow manner’, giving ‘sing by extending
L1 Noh chant, song voice out in narrow way’ (Tōdō). Despite these
minor differences of interpretation, the overall
16 strokes interpretation of this graph may be summed
up as ‘sing/chant by modulating the voice’.
YŌKYOKU Noh chant In Japanese, this has taken on a narrower
MIN’YŌ folk song meaning, referring specifically to chanting of
utaiBON Noh text texts in Noh drama. Note that, as with 2052,
the top right element has been simplified.
A late, post-Shuowen graph; traditional . OT1968:939; KJ1970:84; TA1965:190-94. Also
Consists of 118 ‘words; speak’, with 䍃 (CO, as with 2052, we suggest taking 1739 as
‘bake pottery/earthenware’; see 2052 Note) ‘reaching hand, claw’, and 1141 as ‘can’.
as phonetic with associated sense taken as
i] ‘move up and down’, giving ‘moderate the Mnemonic: HAND REACHES FOR CAN,
voice’ (Ogawa), or ii] ‘wander’, giving ‘sing by
making voice waver’ (Katō), or iii] ‘extend out SINGING WORDY NOH CHANT
The Remaining 1130 Characters 617
抑2060 YOKU, osaeru seal stage. , with / 34 ‘hand’ added (in
L1 restrain, press down effect an extra hand), is noted in Shuowen
as a popular equivalent, and one which later
7 strokes came to predominate. ‘Hold down, press
down’, close to the original meaning, is typi-
YOKUSHI deterrent cally regarded as an extended sense. Note:
YOKUATSU suppression The fact that OBI occurrences of have
YOKUSEI restraint facing to the right while is facing to the
left in some OBI occurrences of does not
OBI ( ) ; seal . OBI form consists of signify a difference of meaning or differ-
41 ‘person kneeling’, with 1739 ‘claw’ ent graphs, as at that very early stage such
fluctuation in direction was usually non-
(sometimes ‘hand’, as here, later stylized to significant (Qiu). MS1995:v1:178-81,v2:818-9;
), giving original meaning ‘make someone GY2008:106,407-8,180; DJ2009:v2:732-3. We
suggest taking the right-hand part as a
kneel’ and by extension ‘kneeling person person doubly bent.
looks up’: see also 1229, ‘look up, respect’)
In Katō’s view, originally and 448 (‘seal, Mnemonic: HAND PRESSES DOWN ON
sign’, q.v.) were the same graph (see Note
below), though not all scholars agree on this PERSON TILL DOUBLY BENT
(Mizukami treats as two separate graphs).
The two were clearly differentiated by the
沃2061 YOKU, YŌ giving ‘sprinkle/moisten with water’. By
L1 fertility, pour extension, ‘fertile’. Transition from 芺 to
(‘young, beautiful’ etc.; see 2049 Note) as
7 strokes phonetic (same associated sense) be-
gan to occur at the clerical script stage.
YOKUDO fertile land OT1968:564; GY2008:498; SS1984:857;
HIYOKU fertility SK1984:441. As with 2049, take as ‘big
YŌSO iodine man’ 56 with big head .
Seal ( ) ; a late graph (Shuowen). Seal Mnemonic: BIG MAN WITH BIG HEAD POURS
form consists of / 42 ‘water’, with 芺
2049 (‘[type of ] bitter-tasting plant’) as WATER AROUND FOR FERTILITY
phonetic with associated sense ‘sprinkle’,
翼2062 YOKU, tsubasa thus ‘bird flies with pair (of wings)’. , with
L1 wing ( 82 ‘wings’) as top element, is also not-
17 strokes ed. Clerical script occurrences also have the
more familiar and less intricate / . Kangxi
UYOKU right wing zidian lists both forms with and as top
YOKUTAN wingtip element, as separate entries (form with latter
YOKURYŪ pterodactyl is main). MS1995:v2:1452-4; DJ2009:v3:955;
ZY2009:v4:1528,v3:996; SK1984:585.
Seal ( ) ; late graph (Shuowen); traditional
form has as top element. Shuowen has Mnemonic: DIFFERENT WINGS, BUT WINGS
595 (‘fly’), with 826 (‘differ’) as phonetic
with associated sense ‘pair of wings, pair’, NONETHELESS
618 The Remaining 1130 Characters
拉2063 RA, RATSU, hishigu/ Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 34
L1 geru ‘hand’, with 77 (‘stand’) as phonetic with
associated sense taken as i] ‘press/push
abduct, crush against’, giving ‘break, crush’ (Ogawa), or ii]
‘lined up together’, giving ‘perform action
8 strokes with hands working together’ (Tōdō). It is
unclear whether ‘abduct’ is loan usage or
RATCHI abduction extended sense. OT1968:410; TA1965:804-6;
RATENGO*(old writing) Latin GY2008:597.
RASsuru drag along, abduct
Mnemonic: CRUSHING HAND ABDUCTS
裸2064 RA, hadaka STANDING PERSON
L1 naked, bare
Seal ( ) . Seal form has 444 ‘clothes’,
13 strokes with (CO; ‘snail’) as phonetic with associ-
ated sense ‘expose’ (Ogawa, Shirakawa), thus
RASHIN nudity ‘expose skin without garment’, i.e. ‘naked’.
SEKIRARA frankness Shuowen has CO as entry heading, but
hadakauma bareback goes on to note as an alternative form.
Note: scholars differ regarding historical
羅2065 RA fluctuation in the form of the phonetic ele-
L1 gauze, net, include ment in this graph and its interpretation. We
have taken the broader view. DJ2009:v2:681;
19 strokes OT1968:907; GY2008:1667; SS1984:859;
KJ1970:75-6. Take modern form as 454
RARETSU arranging ‘fruit, result’.
RATENGO (old writing) Latin
MŌRATEKI comprehensive Mnemonic: PEEL OFF CLOTHES – LIKE SKIN
OFF FRUIT – AND END UP NAKED
OBI ; seal . The OBI form has /
570 ‘net’ combined with 324 ‘bird’, giving
‘catch bird in net’. The seal form adds 29
‘thread’ (sometimes also ‘cord’). ‘Bird net’ and
‘gauze (especially silk gauze)’ are extended
senses, and so too is ‘include’. Note also that
2065, like 2063, can be used to indicate
Latin. GY2008:635; MR2007:376; SS1984:860;
MS1995:v2:1036-7; AS2007:370. We suggest
taking the elements as they stand, namely
‘net’, ‘thread/cord’, and ‘bird’. As an
alternative, take as ‘eye’ 76.
Mnemonic: BIRD-NET OF GAUZE THREAD
Or: KEEP AN EYE ON THE GAUZE THREADS
OF THE BIRD-NET
The Remaining 1130 Characters 619
雷2066 RAI, kaminari to be found in the depiction in Han dynasty
L1 thunder, lightning tiles of the god of thunder beating a drum
(Shirakawa). In bronze form B, the forked
13 strokes line is taken to represent lightning linking
up to the elements similar to described
RAIU thunderstorm above; in some occurrences, 3 ‘rain’ is in-
RAIMEI renown cluded also. Regularization at the seal stage
GYORAI torpedo led to the rather unwieldy bronze shapes
beneath being modified to 畾. Clerical
Bronze form A ; bronze form B ; seal ; script forms tend to fluctuate between 靁
traditional 靁. Bronze form A consists of four and . MS1995:v2:1426-8; OT1968:1085;
identical shapes linked up, each similar in KJ1970:890; SS1984:861; DJ2009:v3:937;
shape to 63 ‘field’ but rounded, as is typi- SK1984:772.
cally the case with graphs in bronze. These
are interpreted not as ‘field’ but as represent- Mnemonic: RAIN FALLS ON FIELD AMID
ing ‘sound of thunder’ (Mizukami, Ogawa) or
‘small drum’ (Katō). Supporting evidence is THUNDER AND LIGHTNING
頼2067 RAI, tanomu, tayoru etc), giving ‘branch being cut for firewood
L2 request, rely springs up/back’; both analyses are listed in
Mizukami. Note 2: An alternative view of
16 strokes (noted by Mizukami) takes seal form right
side not as ‘knife’ but as 41 ‘person’
SHINRAI trust (both similar in shape at the seal stage) over
tayorinai unreliable
tanomi a request , and left side as (CO, ‘thorn’ as abbrev
of 1403 ‘stab’) with associated sense as
Seal: ; late graph (Shuowen); traditional ‘indiscriminate’, thus ‘put responsibility onto
. Usually taken as 10 ‘shell (/currency)’, others when borrowing and lending money’.
‘Request, rely’ are extended meanings.
with (NJK ‘oppose; painful’; see Note 1 MS1995:v2:1248-9,v1:132-3; OT1968:962;
below) as phonetic with associated sense KJ1970:890; GY2008:1563. Take modern
‘profit’, giving ‘profit’. Note 1: has 198 as ‘head’ 103.
‘knife’, with 561 (‘bundle’) taken as i]
phonetic with associated sense ‘bent’, thus Mnemonic: RELY ON HEAD TO REQUEST A
‘knife is bent’ and by extension ‘go against’,
or ii] semantically as ‘bundle’ (of firewood BUNDLE
絡2068 RAKU, karamu/maru Seal . Has 29 ‘thread’, with 462
L2 entwine, connect (‘each, every’) as phonetic with associ-
12 strokes ated sense taken as i] ‘entangled’, thus ‘silk
thread becomes tangled’ (Katō), or ii] ‘be
RENRAKU contact intertwined’, giving ‘wind/twist (something)
karamiau intertwine round’ (Ogawa), or iii] ‘link across’, giving ‘link
TANRAKU short circuit two sides with thread’ (Tōdō). KJ1970:193;
OT1968:779; TA1965:362-4.
Mnemonic: EACH THREAD IS ENTWINED AND
THUS CONNECTED
620 The Remaining 1130 Characters
酪2069 RAKU Seal ; late graph (later version of Shuow-
L1 dairy produce, whey, en). Has 318 ‘wine jar’ (here indicating
fermentation), with 462 (‘each, every’)
juice, curd as phonetic with associated sense taken
in one analysis as ‘sour’ (Ogawa). Shuowen
13 strokes xinfu (Shuowen, Newly Appended) defines
as ‘milk made into a thick paste’; Shirakawa
RAKUNŌ dairy farming takes this as signifying milk products made
RAKUSAN butyric acid into a drink or into cheese, and Gu is in
KANRAKU cheese broad agreement. OT1968:1027; SS1984:864;
GY2008:1565.
Mnemonic: EACH JAR OF DAIRY PRODUCE
CONTAINS CURDS AND WHEY
辣2070 RATSU A very late post-Shuowen graph. Consists of
L1 bitter, severe 1535 ‘sharp, bitter’ (originally pictograph
14 strokes of needle), combined with 561 (‘bun-
dle’) taken as abbreviation of (‘oppose;
RATSUWAN astute, sharp painful’; see 2067 Notes), giving ‘very spicy
SHINRATSU bitter, harsh (usually bitter)’; and by extension ‘severe’.
AKURATSU unscrupulous OT1968:991; SS1984:864; GY2008:1748. We
suggest taking as a ‘bent needle’.
Mnemonic: GETTING BUNDLE OF SEVERELY
BENT NEEDLES IS BITTER BLOW
濫2071 RAN Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen). Consists of
L1 flood, wanton, overdo / 42 ‘water’, with 1159 (‘watch, su-
18 strokes pervise’) as phonetic with associated sense
taken as either i] ‘cover’, giving ‘water covers’
RANPI extravagance (Ogawa), or – in similar vein – ii] ‘spread, be
RAN’YŌ abuse, misuse prevalent/rampant’, giving ‘water spreads’,
HANRAN inundation i.e. ‘floods’ (Katō). By extension, ‘excessive,
overdo, wanton’. OT1968:613; KJ1970:898.
Mnemonic: WANTON SUPERVISION OF
FLOODING WATER
藍2072 RAN, ai Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen). Consists
L1 indigo of 53 ‘plant, vegetation’, combined with
18 strokes 1159 (‘supervise, watch’) as phonetic
(associated sense unclear). Shuowen defines
SHUTSURAN besting master
aiiro indigo color as a ‘plant to dye things blue’. It refers
GARAN Buddhist temple to the plant itself, and by extension its use
as a dye for the color indigo (dark violet-
blue). The first recorded use of indigo in
The Remaining 1130 Characters 621
Japan was in a Nara temple around 620, and and water. In modern times indigo dye has
for a century or so it was used only by the been produced synthetically. OT1968:876;
privileged classes. However, from around SS1984:866; GY2008:1547.
the 9th century it became widely avail-
able through the advent of vat dyeing. It is Mnemonic: PRODUCTION OF INDIGO
especially favored for its resistance to fading PLANTS AND DYES NEEDS SUPERVISON
欄2073 RAN sense ‘enclose on four sides’, with overall
L1 railing, column, space,
meaning ‘pen (for animals)’ (supported by
margin Shirakawa as a minor meaning), and more
20 strokes broadly as ‘frame which surrounds’ (Katō).
Regarding ‘margin, column’ in a written text,
RANKAN railing Shirakawa notes the term ushiran
KŪRAN blank space
RANGAI page margin referred to main text on a page enclosed in
the traditional way with four lines in a box
Seal ; late graph (Shuowen); traditional . shape, and the space outside the box, i.e.
Has 73 ‘tree, wood’, with (NJK, ‘parti-
tion’), taken in one view semantically to the margin space, was termed rangai.
give ‘wood for partition’, and by extension
‘railing’; by further extension, ‘boundary’ OT1968:529; KJ1970:898; SS1984:867. Take
(Ogawa). Another view takes slightly
differently as phonetic with associated modern form as ‘east’ 201 and ‘gate/door’
231.
Mnemonic: WOODEN COLUMN-LIKE
RAILINGS LEAVE SPACE AT EASTERN GATE
吏2074 RI work a person was undertaking, conveying
L1 official that meaning; in this connection, see also
309. Minor differentiation in shape between
6 strokes the two is seen at the seal stage, reflect-
ing divergence in meaning, with being
RIIN (an) official used for ‘(an) official’. MS1995:v1:214-6;
NŌRI able official QX2000:324-5; OT1968:169; KJ1970:450;
RISHŪ ‘red tape’ AS2007:350. Suggest take upper part as ‘ten’
OBI ; seal . At OBI and bronze stages, 35 boxes 22.
and 309 (‘matter, thing’) were one and
Mnemonic: OFFICIAL’S HAND HOLDS TEN
the same graph, showing a hand ( , 2003)
holding a banner displaying the type of BOXES
痢2075 RI A very late graph (medieval period onwards).
L1 diarrhea Has 404 ‘sick(/bed)’, with 626 (‘profit’) as
phonetic with associated sense ‘quick, rapid’
12 strokes (Katō), giving ‘illness with rapid onset symp-
toms’ – more specifically, ‘diarrhea’. OT1968:680;
GERI diarrhea KJ1970:489.
SEKIRI dysentery
EKIRI infant diarrhea Mnemonic: DIARRHEA CAN BE A PROFITABLE
SICKNESS!?
622 The Remaining 1130 Characters
履2076 RI, haku here is taken not as phonetic but semantic
L1 footwear, walk, act as ‘substitute person for the deceased ’, and
the whole graph is considered in this view
15 strokes originally to have referred to the wearing
of shoes (made not of wood but of fabric)
RIREKI curriculum vitae when conducting a ritual (Shirakawa). The
RIKŌ performance two similarly-shaped ‘foot’ elements and
hakimono footwear
appear to have given rise to a degree of
Seal ( ) . Analyses diverge. Leaving aside confusion and fluctuation over the centu-
initially the top element (256 ‘corpse’, ries, and is a case in point: clerical script
‘person lying down’: see below), there is occurrences predominantly have the ‘foot’
general agreement regarding the element element changed from to (assum-
ing one accepts that the element here was
1450 (‘boat’), namely that here it repre- originally ), and in terms of overall shape
sents boat-shaped footwear. This combines the graph was moving towards its modern
with 131 ‘road; go’, and an element for form at that stage. Mizukami lists several
‘foot’ here typically identified by scholars as proposed bronze equivalents. ‘Act’ is prob-
ably an extended sense. MS1995:v1:412-4;
, which is often interpreted as ‘drag the DJ2009:v2:692; KJ1970:296-7; SS1984:872;
foot’ (see Appendix). These three elements SK1984:244. We suggest taking elements of
contribute to an overall meaning ‘walk the modern form as (803 ‘again, repeat’)
(slowly) dragging the feet wearing shoes/ and corpse .
clogs’ (‘wooden shoes’, i.e. ‘clogs’ is favored
by Katō). The top element (‘corpse’, also Mnemonic: CORPSE WALKS REPEATEDLY,
meanings including ‘substitute person for
deceased’ [in a ritual context]) is treated in WITH FOOTWEAR – SOME ACT!
one view as phonetic with associated sense
‘drag’ (Katō, Mizukami). Alternatively,
璃2077 RI according to 6th century Yupian dictionary
L1 lapis lazuli is ‘lapis lazuli’, a deep blue semi-precious
stone. Originally, seems to have referred
15 strokes to ore of lapis lazuli, then by extension to
it when refined, then to natural crystal,
RURI lapis lazuli then to early form of glass. GY2008:1678;
JŌRURI jōruri ballad drama OT1968:727. Awkward. We suggest as lid,
HARI glass, crystal
as box with contents, and ‘strange insect’
A late, post-Shuowen graph. Has 15 ‘jewel’ ( 60).
(in abbreviated shape ), with (CO;
‘mountain deity [in beast form]’) as phonetic Mnemonic: LIDDED BOX OF LAPIS
(associated sense unclear). Overall meaning
LAZULI – BUT FULL OF STRANGE INSECTS!
離2078 RI, hanareru/su Seal . Analyses diverge. In one analysis
L1 separate, leave the graph is taken as 324 ‘bird’, with
(CO, ‘mountain deity [in beast form]’) as pho-
19 or 18 strokes netic (associated sense unclear), originally
denoting a type of bird (‘black-naped oriole’
BUNRI separation [Oriolus chinensis]); and in this view mean-
RIRIKU take-off ings such as ‘become separated’ are seen as
chibanare weaning
The Remaining 1130 Characters 623
loan usage (Ogawa). Another analysis takes as a loan use. OT1968:1081; SS1984:873;
as an abbreviation for ‘birdlime’, giving MS1995:v2:1414-15; AS2007:348. As with
2077, we suggest taking the elements of this
overall meaning for as ‘bird caught on awkward character as as a lid, as a box
birdlime’; and by extension, ‘remove from with contents, and ‘strange insect’ ( 60).
birdlime’, a meaning which was then gen-
eralized to ‘remove’ (with obvious connota- Mnemonic: SEPARATE BIRD FROM LIDDED
tions of separation and leaving) (Shirakawa). BOX FULL OF STRANGE INSECTS
The above explanation relates to the seal
form. Mizukami proposes OBI equivalents Or: BIRD HAS TO LEAVE BOX FULL OF
also, though his analysis relates to the seal STRANGE INSECTS DUE TO LID
form, and he regards ‘become separated’
慄2079 RITSU, ononuku based on the OBI forms – as originally a pic-
L1 fear, tremble, shudder, tograph of a tree with fruit or nuts enclosed
in a burr, i.e. prickly case, and hence ‘chest-
horror nut’ (Gu, Shirakawa). Mizukami lists this
together with several other interpretations.
13 strokes OT1968:384; MS1995:v1:668-9; GY2008:1014;
SS1984:875-6. We suggest taking the right-
RITSUZEN horror, shudder hand side as 169 ‘west’ and 73 ‘tree’,
SENRITSU shudder, tremble with ‘feelings’ 164.
osoreononuku tremble in fear
Mnemonic: EVEN TREES TREMBLE, FEELING
A late, post-Shuowen graph. Consists of /
164 ‘heart, mind, feelings’, with (NJK, FEAR AT HORROR IN THE WEST
‘chestnut tree’; see Note below) as phonetic
with associated sense ‘extremely painful’ Or: WESTERN TREES INVOKE FEELINGS OF
(Ogawa), giving ‘recoil/flinch with fear’. Note:
analyses of include the treatment of it – FEAR, CAUSING TREMBLING
柳2080 RYŪ, yanagi with hanging branches’ (Katō), or iii] ‘grow
L1 willow, willowy luxuriantly’, giving ‘tree with luxuriant
branches and leaves’ (noted in Mizukami).
9 strokes Note: ‘trappings on horse bit’ is one view,
based on OBI form of as originally being a
itoyanagi weeping willow pictograph. Another view takes it as cutting
KARYŪKAI demimonde something like meat in two with a knife, or
SENRYŪ comic verse forcing open two leaves of a gate (all three
views given in Mizukami). TA1965:202-04;
OBI ; seal . Has 73 ‘tree’, with 813 OT1968:501; MS1995:v1:664-5. Take as a
(meanings include ‘trappings on horse bit’; symbol of ‘back-to-back’.
see Note below) as phonetic with associ-
ated sense taken as i] ‘separate into long Mnemonic: WILLOW TREES BACK-TO-BACK?
lines/threads’, giving ‘weeping willow’ (Tōdō,
Ogawa ), or ii] ‘flow/hang, giving ‘tree type
624 The Remaining 1130 Characters
竜2081 RYŪ, tatsu bronze forms but was regularized at seal
L1 dragon stage. The abbreviated form may well be
based on Tang dynasty cursive models. In
10 strokes Chinese tradition a dragon is seen as a sym-
bol of goodness and strength, not threaten-
KYŌRYŪ dinosaur ing and fire-belching as in Western cul-
RYŪJIN dragon god tures. MS1995:v2:1526-7; QX2000:177,238;
tatsumaki whirlwind GY2008:146. Take as ‘stand’ 77 and as
short for electricity 197.
OBI ; seal ; traditional . Originally
visualized depiction of dragon with long Mnemonic: STANDING DRAGON HAS AN
snaking body. Shape varies in OBI and
ELECTRICAL SHORT!
粒2082 RYŪ, tsubu Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 220
L2 grain, particle ‘rice’ (originally [OBI] grains of cereal, not
necessarily rice; q.v.), with 77 (’stand’) as
11 strokes phonetic with associated sense taken as i]
‘scattered’, giving ‘individual (rice) grains’
RYŪSHI particle (Ogawa), or ii] ‘be lined up together’, giving
hitotsubu one grain ‘cereal grains of same shape collected to-
RYŪRYŪ assiduously gether’, and by extension ‘(individual) grain’
(Tōdō, Mizukami). ‘Particle’ is an extended
sense. OT1968:762; MS1995:v2:998-9;
TA1965:804-6.
Mnemonic: STAND ALONGSIDE RICE GRAINS
隆2083 RYŪ meanings. Quite a different interpretation is
L1 high, swell, rise, adopted by Shirakawa, who alone treats as
having religious significance meaning ‘ladder
prosper for deities (to descend and ascend)’, combined
with meaning ‘descend’ (see Appendix) and
11 strokes
64 ‘earth, ground’, signifying the welcom-
RYŪSEI prosperity ing of deities down to Earth. Qiu indicates that
RYŪKI upthrust, bulge old (e.g. clerical script) forms of with
KŌRYŪ prosperity, rise ‘earth’ in place of do exist, which he takes as
consisting of combined with as pho-
Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen); traditional netic in function. Note that the modern form
has dropped the short horizontal line on the
. Interpretations differ. In one view, the graph right-side of the traditional form. OT1968:1071;
GY2008:1345; SS1984:878; QX2000:254. We
consists of 262 ‘hill, mound’, with 㚅 as suggest taking as crossed legs.
phonetic with associated sense ‘swell up’, giv- Mnemonic: PROSPER IN LIFE, RISE HIGH, AND
ing ‘hill swells/rises up’ (Ogawa). Another analy- SIT CROSS-LEGGED ON MOUND
sis takes as 44 ‘life, birth, grow’, with 873
(‘descend’) as phonetic with associated sense
‘luxuriant, big’, giving ‘grow luxuriantly’ (Gu).
Senses such as ‘high; prosper’ are extended
The Remaining 1130 Characters 625
硫2084 RYŪ be a connection through the fumes given
L1 sulfur
off when sulphur, which has quite a low
12 strokes melting point, is burnt. This latter possibil-
ity seems to be supported by a point made
RYŪSAN sulfuric acid by Qiu to the effect that in Chinese the
iŌ* sulfur
RYŪKAGIN silver sulfide word for ‘sulfur’ was originally written
‘flowing yellow’ (< flowing fumes, and
A late, post-Shuowen graph. This graph is yellow color of sulfur). The writing was
defined in the Jiyun dictionary (11th cen-
tury) in rather general terms as a ‘[type later changed to , substituting ‘rock,
of ] rock which is not smooth’. Gu regards
the sense ‘sulfur’ as a loan use. A different mineral’ for 42 ‘water’ as determina-
analysis takes the graph as 47 ‘stone/
rock; mineral’, combined with 㐬 ‘flow out’ tive, probably for semantic transparency.
(see 432 and Note below) as semantic and
phonetic, giving ‘easily melted mineral’ Note: 㐬 originally represented a baby being
(Ogawa). There may however, alternatively,
born amidst amniotic fluid, and hence the
meaning ‘flow out’. OT1968:712; QX2000:339;
GY2008:1398,1135-6; MS95:v2:778-9.
Mnemonic: SULFUR IS A ROCK THAT FLOWS,
WITHOUT WATER
侶2085 RYO, tomo ing ‘companion, friend’. GY2008:654,260-61;
L1 companion, partner OT1968:68; SS1984:880. We suggest taking
the right side as two mouths (speaking)
9 strokes 22 with a link between their comments. Or,
mouth-to-mouth contact.
HANRYO partner, companion
SŌRYO Buddhist priest Mnemonic: COMPANIONS TALKING ABOUT A
(no other compounds) LINKED TOPIC
Seal ; a late graph (later version of Or: PERSON APPLIES MOUTH-TO-MOUTH AID
TO HIS COMPANION
Shuowen). Consists of 41 ‘person’,
Or: MY COMPANION IS A PERSON WITH LOTS
combined with 2119 (proposed meanings OF ‘BACKBONE’
include ‘spine’) as phonetic with associated
sense taken as ‘gather, be side by side’, giv-
虜2086 RYO, toriko broadly similar analysis, but takes as hav-
L1 captive, capture ing a semantic as well as phonetic function
(‘violent, savage’), and originally meaning
13 strokes ‘take by force’, with ‘capture’ as an extended
sense. Note: OBI occurrences of ‘pierce,
RYOSHŪ captive penetrate’ are taken in one interpretation
HORYO prisoner of war as representing a shield, or alternatively as
SENSEIFURYO parolee shells (shell currency) pierced and strung
together on a length of string (both given in
Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen). Has 78 Mizukami). It might be tempting to take the
‘strength’, combined with 1148 ‘pierce, line through the shield as indicating ‘pierce
penetrate’ (see Note below), with – in one a shield’, but in all cases the line is hori-
view – 1301 (‘tiger’, q.v.) as phonetic zontal or vertical in relation to the shield,
with associated sense ‘prison’, giving ‘put
in prison; prisoner’ (Ogawa). Gu makes a
626 The Remaining 1130 Characters
suggesting orderly construction rather than in shape from 222 ‘mother’ from seal
invasive piercing (in the latter case, one onwards. MS1995:v1:718-20; OT1968:882;
would tend to expect a diagonal piercing GY2008:611,127. For the modern form, we
line). N.B. should be distinguished from suggest taking the lower part as 57 male/
another graph very similar in shape, viz. man.
, originally standing for a word meaning Mnemonic: MAN CAPTURES TIGER
‘do not violate woman’, then borrowed for
‘there is none, do not…’. 1148 was more Or: (perhaps more likely): TIGER CAPTURES
distinct in shape in OBI and bronze, while MAN
‘do not violate woman’ only became distinct
慮2087 RYO ‘urn, earthen jar’) as phonetic with associ-
L1 thought, concern ated sense ‘set out in words, relate’, giving
‘ponder extensively’ (Ogawa). Another analy-
15 strokes sis takes the graph as 147 ‘think’, with
1301 (‘tiger’, q.v. 1301) as phonetic with as-
ENRYO reserve sociated sense ‘count, calculate’, giving ‘con-
KŌRYO consideration sider and count’ as original meaning (Katō).
RYOGAI unexpected GY2008:23,1228; OT1968:387; KJ1970:899.
Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Analyses Mnemonic: THINK CONCERNED THOUGHTS
diverge. In one view, it consists of 164 ABOUT TIGER
‘heart, mind’, with (Gu equates with CO
了2088 RYŌ an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes, in
L2 understand, effect bringing the limbs close to the body.
Another scholar sees it as string or cord
finish, complete that has been tied (Ogawa). A more gen-
eral – and perhaps safer – view of the seal
2 strokes form is that it depicts ‘something twisted’
(Shirakawa). Its modern meanings would
RYŌKAI understood seem to be loan usages. KJ1970:920-21;
RYŌSHŌ understanding GY2008:17; OT1968:29; SS1984:882. Take as
SHŪRYŌ finish armless infant ( 27).
Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Shuowen Mnemonic: ONE UNDERSTANDS THAT A
takes it to be a pictograph of a child with
arms withered and twisted, positioned close CHILD NEEDS ARMS TO BE COMPLETE
to the body (torso); this view is followed by
Katō. Similarly, Gu sees it as representing
涼2089 RYŌ, suzumu/shii Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 42
L2 cool
‘water’, combined with 110 (‘capital’) as
11 strokes phonetic with associated sense taken either
as i] ‘clear’, giving ‘clear water’ (Ogawa), or ii]
RYŌMI coolness ‘cold’ giving ‘cold water’ (Katō). Either way,
suzumiDAI bench
suzukaze cool breeze ‘cool’ is an extended sense. OT1968:592;
KJ1970:907.
Mnemonic: WATER IN THE CAPITAL IS COOL
The Remaining 1130 Characters 627
猟20L190 RYŌ lect prey together’ (Tōdō, Ogawa), or ii] ‘leap
hunting high over’, giving ‘dogs leap high chasing
prey’ (Katō). is based on cursive equiva-
11 strokes lents. Note: 巤 is taken as meaning ‘mask for
frightening demons away’, or ‘animal mane’;
RYŌSHI hunter both are listed by Mizukami. TA1965:842-5;
RYŌJŪ hunting gun MS1995:v1:426-7; OT1968:645; KJ1970:924;
SHŌRYŌ extensive reading FC1974:v2:1438. We suggest taking as
claws, and as variant of ‘use’ 235.
Seal ; late graph (Shuowen); traditional .
Has 19 ‘dog’, with 巤 (CO, for meanings Mnemonic: DOG PUTS CLAWS TO USE IN
see Note below) as phonetic with associated
sense taken as i] ‘collect, gather’, giving ‘col- HUNTING
陵2091 RYŌ, misasagi Note 2 below. Top element is taken in one
L1 imperial tomb, mound view as 圥 (meaning unclear) as phonetic
with associated sense ‘create folds/creases’,
11 strokes giving ‘advance through strenuous effort/
making leg muscles stand out’, or ‘cross over
RYŌBO imperial tomb in (straight) line what is in front, cross over’
KYŪRYŌ hill, hillock (Mizukami). Alternatively, top part of seal
GORYŌ imperial tomb form is taken to be not 圥 but , mean-
ing ‘mushroom’ according to Kangxi zidian,
Bronze ; seal . In one view, has / 262 but Shirakawa prefers to see it as building
‘hill, mound’, with element (for meanings, in a sacred place to welcome deities down.
see Note 1 below) as phonetic with associ- Combined with , this gives Shirakawa’s
ated sense ‘make sinews/creases stand out’, proposed overall meaning for as ‘encroach
giving ‘crease line of ridge on hill/mountain’; and pollute, trample’, reflecting defilement of
by extension ‘hill’, and by further extension such a sacred place by humans. Note 2: Even
‘burial mound’, narrowed in meaning to ‘Im- in the original Peking Palace printed edition
perial tomb’ (Mizukami). Shirakawa, however, of Kangxi zidian the difference in shape be-
sees as representing a ladder for deities tween the two determinatives and can
to descend from and return to the sky; in his be hard to discern. For further details, see
view, the graph as a whole signifies sacred Appendix. MS1995:v2:1398-9,v1:286-7,416;
place to welcome deities, later acquiring SS1984:884,882; KZ2001:482-3/3671,486-
the meaning ‘Imperial tomb’ because it was 8/3671. We suggest taking right side as ‘earth’
often used for burials. Note 1: based on seal
form, is taken by Mizukami as includ- 64, ‘eight’ 70 and as crossed legs.
ing a lower element taken not as (one of
several determinatives meaning ‘foot’) but Mnemonic: EIGHT CROSSED LEGS SIT ON
as the similarly-shaped (also ‘foot’): see
EARTH OF IMPERIAL TOMB MOUNDS
僚2092 RYŌ Seal . Consists of / 41 ‘person’, with
L1 colleague, official (CO ‘burn’; see Note below) as phonetic with
associated sense taken as i] ‘work’, giving
14 strokes ‘person who works alongside’ (Katō), or ii]
‘place where officials live’, giving ‘colleagues
DŌRYŌ colleague who are officials’ (Ogawa), or iii] ‘be linked,
RYŌYŪ friend, colleague continue’, giving ‘person who works along-
KANRYŌ official side in same office’ (noted in Mizukami).
628 The Remaining 1130 Characters
Mizukami). Sense modified (depending on spite a strong influence from China in a vari-
interpretation of original meaning) to ‘of- ety of ways, including various political insti-
ficial’, along with ‘colleague’. Mizukami lists tutions and legal frameworks, examinations
proposed OBI equivalents. Note: the OBI for officials were replaced by recommenda-
forms of depict a pile of wood (firewood) tions, and bureaucrats were largely aristo-
being burned, giving ‘pile up wood and crats. KJ1995:918-9; OT1968:81; SS1984:885;
burn’; the sense was then generalized to MS1995:v1:82-3,402-03. Awkward mnemoni-
‘burn’. On a cultural note, in ancient China cally, but we suggest taking the elements on
aspirants to a position in officialdom, which the right-side as ‘big’ 56, as ‘away’
was considered an elite occupation, had to 70, ‘day/sun’ 66, and ‘little’ 38.
sit written examinations largely based on
the Confucian classics. That is, they earned Mnemonic: PERSON AWAY ON BIG DAYS AND
their position through hard work and study
and merit. By contrast, in early Japan, de- ‘LITTLE DAYS’ IS OFFICIALLY A COLLEAGUE
寮2093 RYŌ ‘colleagues’ (those who share same space).
L2 hostel, dormitory Ogawa, however, takes as combined with
15 strokes as phonetic with associated sense ‘plan’,
giving ‘office for planning government mat-
RYŌSEI boarding student ters’. Another view (Gu), by contrast, treats
RYŌKA dormitory song
RYŌCHŌ head of hostel as a late graph, listed in Yupian (6th cen-
tury), meaning ‘colleague, fellow official’; by
Analyses differ. In one view (Katō), there is a further extension, ‘(type of ) building’. ‘Hostel,
bronze form corresponding to 竂, consisting dormitory’ is the specific sense for this graph
of 860 ‘cave, hole’, taken to have in effect and ‘colleague’ is now conveyed by 2092.
the same meaning as 30 ‘roof, building’ KJ1970:918; OT1968:284; GY2008:1847. Take
on the basis that in ancient times people oc-
cupied caves as dwellings; Katō takes (CO; as ‘big’ 56, as ‘away’ 70, ‘day/sun’
see 2092 Note) here as phonetic with as- 66, and ‘little’ 38.
sociated sense ‘gouge out’ and by extension
‘opening, window’ by further extension, Mnemonic: HOSTEL HAS BIG AND LITTLE
ROOFS TO KEEP SUN AWAY
療2094 RYŌ ‘control’, giving ‘treat illness’ (Katō). Accord-
L2 cure, heal ing to Shirakawa, the earlier form reflects
an ancient Chinese method of treating
17 strokes illness, whereby bells were struck near the
patient in order to drive out the demons of
IRYŌ medical treatment sickness; later, after that practice ceased, the
CHIRYŌSHI therapist phonetic was changed to . DJ2009:v2:613;
RYŌYŌJO sanitarium OT1968:682; SS1984:888; KJ1970:919. Take
Seal ( ) . Shuowen has in the entry as ‘big’ 56, as ‘away’ 70, ‘day/sun’
heading, and notes as an alternative form. 66, and ‘little’ 38.
Has 404 ‘sick(-bed)’, with 98 (‘music;
pleasure’; later, [see 2092 Note]) as pho- Mnemonic: MAJOR ILLNESS – MAYBE A
netic with associated sense taken either as i]
‘assess and put right’ (Ogawa), or ii] ‘good’ or LITTLE SUNSHINE WILL CURE IT AWAY
The Remaining 1130 Characters 629
瞭2095 RYŌ Late, post-Shuowen graph. In Yupian (6th
L1 clear, obvious century). Has 76 ‘eye’, with (see 2092
Note) as phonetic with associated sense
17 strokes ‘bright’, thus ‘bright/clear pupils (of eyes)’.
GY2008:1929; OT1968:703. SS1984:888. Take
RYŌZEN clear, obvious
FUMEIRYŌ unclear as ‘big’ 56, ‘eight’ 70, ‘sun’ 66, and
ICHIMOKURYŌZEN clear ‘little’ 38.
Mnemonic: MY BIG EYE CLEARLY SEES EIGHT
OBVIOUS LITTLE SUN-SPOTS
糧2096 RYŌ, RŌ, kate Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen). Has 220
L1 provisions, food ‘rice’ (originally ‘grain’ [more general sense]),
with 630 (‘measure, quantity’), typically
18 strokes taken in one view as phonetic with associat-
ed sense ‘pure, good (quality)’, giving ‘pure/
RYŌDŌ supplies good quality cereal grain’ (Ogawa, Tōdō). Al-
SHOKURYŌ provisions ternatively, is taken as a sack of fixed size
HYŌRŌ army provisions for measuring grain, giving ‘provisions of
fixed amount’ (Shirakawa). Either view leads
to ‘provisions’ and – as a generalized sense
– ‘materials’ and ‘measure’. OT1968:765;
TA1965:360-62; SS1984:888.
Mnemonic: MEASURED QUANTITY OF RICE
MAKES UP PROVISIONS
厘2097 RIN sen was one hundredth of a yen. Note 1:
L1 tiny amount, rin (coin) is comprised of (see Note 2) ‘thresh’, com-
bined with 238 ‘village’, taken here either
9 strokes as i] semantic and phonetic, giving ‘bring
in harvest’ (Ogawa), or ii] as phonetic with
RINMŌ a trifle associated sense ‘village fields divided up’,
NIRIN two rin giving ‘thresh grain, bring in harvest’ (noted
ICHIBUICHIRIN tiny bit in Mizukami). Note 2: , a CO, consists of
A very late post-Shuowen graph. Evolved as / 112 ‘hit, strike’, combined with the re-
an abbreviation of (orig. ‘thresh grain’; see mainder of the graph, which on the basis of
Notes below). Since in ancient times taxes the OBI form is taken as depicting ripe grain
were collected in kind, especially grain, tax and ‘person’; at the seal stage, this remainder
amounting to a small percentage may have of the graph was modified by changing
led to ‘tiny’ and ‘regulate’ as extended senses 41 ‘person’ inappropriately to (normally
(Gu treats as extended senses). The sense ‘cliff’), perhaps based on a particular bronze
‘tiny, minute’ was then quantified as a unit form. GY2008:812-3; OT1968:149,1033;
of measure (different in China and Japan). MS1995:v2:1358-9,v1:186-7.
Actual amounts for units of measure often
varied, depending on the period, but typi- Mnemonic: TINY VILLAGE BELOW CLIFF IS
cally the rin was one tenth of a sen, and a
VALUED AT A MERE RIN
630 The Remaining 1130 Characters
倫2098 RIN sists of 亼 ‘collect, bring together’ (originally,
L1 principles, ethics pictograph of lid/cover over something
[Shuowen erroneously analyses as three
10 strokes things put together]), over 884 ‘(slim)
bound volume’, giving ‘(number of slim) vol-
RINRI principles, ethics umes bound together in order’. GY2008:98;
JINRIN morality OT1968:72; KJ1970:910-11.
ZETSURIN peerless
Mnemonic: PERSON ALIGNED ACCORDING
Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen). Consists of
41 ‘person’, with 631 (CO, ‘align bound TO ETHICAL PRINCIPLES
bamboo/wooden tablets’; see Note below) Or: PERSON PUTS COVER OVER BAMBOO
as phonetic with associated sense ‘order’
sequence’, giving ‘orderly personal relations’, TABLETS ABOUT ETHICS
and hence ‘principles, ethics’. Note: con-
隣2099 RIN, tonari scatter’; overall meaning: ‘flames scattered
L1 neighbor, adjoin through stamping’, or ‘flickering flames, will-
o’-the-wisp’ (Mizukami). Alternatively, based
16 strokes on one of the bronze forms for 粦, another
commentator interprets the top element
RINSHITSU next room differently as 56 (‘big’) representing ‘per-
RINSETSU adjacency son’, and takes the short dot-like strokes as
tonariau adjoin drops of blood dripping down, with overall
meaning ‘human sacrifice made before
Seal ( ) ; a late graph (Shuowen). Origi- ladder for deities (to descend and ascend)’
nally consists of / ‘village, settlement’ (Shirakawa). The latter view is based in part
(normally right-hand 376, not left-hand on Shirakawa’s idiosyncratic interpreta-
262, which signifies ‘hill, mound’ etc.), com- tion of left-hand (abbreviated form of
bined with 粦 (CO; for meanings, see Note 1907 when occurring as left-hand element),
below) as phonetic with associated sense which is usually taken to mean ‘hill, mound,
‘lined up, side by side’, giving ‘village/settle- etc.’. MS1995:v2:1340-41,v1:808-09,796-7;
ment with dwellings arranged side by side’. OT1968:1075; TA1965:477-80; SS1984:890-
By extension, ‘neighboring’ and ‘adjoin’. It is 92. Taking modern form, albeit with an error,
not clear as to when exactly the element we suggest ‘rice’ 220, 336 as opposed
was relocated. Note: 粦 is taken in one view feet/stamp, and ‘mound’ .
as the modified version of 㷠, consisting of
Mnemonic: NEIGHBORS STAMP ON MOUND
1050 ‘flames’, combined with 336 (‘feet
pointed in opposite directions’) as seman- OF RICE!
tic and phonetic meaning ‘stamp on and
瑠2100 RU Seal ( ) ; a late graph (Shuowen).
L1 lapis lazuli Shuowen has 15 ‘jewel, jade, precious
stone’ in abbreviated shape , with 丣 (CO;
14 strokes ‘closed gate’) as phonetic, and defines as
‘lapis lazuli’. The phonetic element was later
RURI lapis lazuli changed to 㐬 432 (‘flow’) or 824 (‘stop;
RURIiro azure fasten’) with associated sense ‘smooth’,
JŌRURI Jōruri ballad drama
The Remaining 1130 Characters 631
giving ‘smooth precious stone’. Used in Mnemonic: STOP AND FASTEN PRECIOUS
combination with 2077, another graph of LAPIS LAZULI DECORATION
the same or very close meaning, to write
‘lapis lazuli’. DJ2009:v1:30; TA1965:204;
SS1984:893.
涙2101 RUI, namida survives (Katō). Traditional form: . Consists
L2 tear(s) of 42 ‘water, liquid’, combined with /
2105 (‘return’) as phonetic with associated
10 strokes sense taken either as i] ‘accumulate continu-
ally’ (Ogawa), or ii] ‘drip down’, either way
RUIKAN tear duct taken to mean ‘tears’. An interesting variant
namidaame light rain is the semantically more transparent form
soranamida crocodile tears
(NJK; 42 ‘water and 76 ‘eye’), but is
A late graph, not included in extant versions rarely used. OT1968:583; KJ1970:917.
of Shuowen, though it appears to have been
included in an early version which no longer Mnemonic: WATER RETURNS AS TEARS
累2102 RUI Seal ( ) ; a late graph (Shuowen); tra-
L1 accumulate, involve ditional . Has 29 ‘thread’, with 畾 (CO;
orig. form of 靁 ‘thunder’ [ 2066]) as pho-
11 strokes netic with associated sense ‘accumulate, fol-
low one after another’, giving ‘join together’.
RUIKEI sum total ‘Involved’ is extended sense. TA1965:688;
RUISEKI accumulation DJ2009:v3:1070; GY2008:1814; OT1968:776.
KEIRUI dependents Take as ‘field’ 63 and ‘thread’ 29.
Mnemonic: THREADS ACCUMULATE IN FIELD
– NEED TO GET INVOLVED
塁2103 RUI Bronze ( ) ; seal ( ) ; traditional .
L1 fort, base, baseball Has 64 ‘earth, ground’, with 畾 (originally
form of 靁 ‘thunder’ [ 2066]) as phonetic
base with associated sense ‘pile up, accumulate’
(Mizukami adds ‘in orderly manner’). Overall
12 strokes meaning is ‘structure made of earth, stones,
etc. piled up (arranged in orderly way)’, i.e.
DORUI earthwork ‘fortifications, fortress, base’. OT1968:221;
TEKIRUI enemy fort KJ1970:914; MS1995:v1:280-81. Take as 63
RUISHIN base umpire field, as four pointers.
Mnemonic: FOUR POINTERS TO EARTHEN
BASES IN FIELD
632 The Remaining 1130 Characters
励2104 RUI, hagemu/masu later variant, with (NJK,‘whetstone’)
L1 encourage, strive as phonetic in place of ; possibly this
evolved as a folk etymology (i.e. errone-
7 strokes ous etymology) based on interpreting the
meaning of 勱 as deriving from sharpening
SEIREI diligence one’s efforts. Zhengzitong (1771) treats
SHŌREI encouragement as a popular variant. was, though, given
hagemiau vie official status in Japan in the first Jōyō kanji
List of 1923; this was replaced by in the
Seal (勱) ; late graph (Shuowen); tradi- Tōyō kanji list of 1946. MS1995:v2:1124-6;
tional: 勱. Has 78 ‘strength, effort’, with DJ2009:v3:1135; KJ1970:916-17; TA1965:551;
KZ2001:268/3671; ZZ1671:v1:180. Take as
(traditional equivalent for 227 ‘ten cliff, and as ‘strongly’.
thousand, myriad’; originally, pictograph
of scorpion) as phonetic with associated Mnemonic: STRONGLY ENCOURAGE TO
sense ‘strive’ or similar (Tōdō says ‘apply
great stimulus’), giving ‘great effort’. There CLIMB TEN THOUSAND CLIFFS
is also the form , which seems to be a
戻2105 RUI, modoru/su seems questionable. An alternative proposal
L2 return, reject, vomit by Shirakawa takes as showing a dog bur-
ied beneath an entrance as a preventative
7 strokes spell. A further analysis treats it as , with
modoshiZEI tax refund as phonetic with associated sense ‘shut
HENREI return in’, giving ‘wild/rampaging dog is shut in (by
modoshisō feeling sick entrance)’, and by extension ‘act contrary
to, go against’ (noted in Mizukami). Etymol-
Seal ; late graph (Shuowen); traditional ogy of this graph is debated; Schuessler has
. The traditional interpretation (Shuowen) ‘arrive, reach, settle’ as possible meanings
for in a word-family related to 237
is that this graph, comprising 19 ‘dog’ ‘come’ (as opposed to ‘return’). OT1968:398;
with 120 ‘door’, represents a dog twisting KJ1970:1917; SS1984:897; MS1995:v1:546-7;
and turning to get under a door or entrance, AS2007:342-3. ‘Dog’ has now been replaced
and this is followed by several scholars by what is in effect ‘big’ 56.
(Ogawa, Katō). Katō takes ‘go back’ as an
extended sense deriving from a dog going Mnemonic: BIG DOOR LETS PEOPLE RETURN,
back – i.e. return – to its original shape (pos-
ture) after getting under a door. However, OR REJECT THEM IF VOMITING
this proposed Shuowen-based etymology
鈴2106 REI, RIN, suzu Bronze ; seal . Consists of 16 ‘metal’,
L1 bell (small), chime combined with 633 (‘order, rule’) as pho-
netic, taken either as having an associated
13 strokes sense ‘clear and attractive’ (Tōdō), or purely
as onomatopoeic for a bell sound (Ogawa);
DENREI electric bell either way, the overall meaning is ‘metal
FŪRIN wind chime bell’. Note that the Japanese are very fond of
Suzuki a surname their wind chimes, heralding a breeze in the
The Remaining 1130 Characters 633
often oppressive summer heat. It does actu- MS1995:v2:1364-5; TA1965:475-7.
ally appear to have some soothing acoustic Mnemonic: ORDER METAL BELL TO CHIME
effect with regard to enhancing the cool- Or: ORDER METAL TO BE MADE INTO A BELL
ness of the faintest of breezes. OT1968:1041;
零2107 REI, koboreru/su but Shuowen also lists 霝 separately, with
L1 zero, tiny, spill the meaning ‘rain, rain falls’. In the case of
13 strokes , 633 (‘order, rule’) serves as phonetic
with associated sense taken either as i] ‘hang
REIJI midnight down’ (Ogawa), or ii] ‘clear, something clear
REIKA below zero which drips down’ (noted in Mizukami);
REISAI small, tiny either way, the overall meaning is ‘rain
falls’. The meaning ‘small’ is an extended
OBI (霝) ; seal forms , . OBI stage sense from raindrops, and ‘zero’ is perhaps
has 霝 only. This consists of 3 ‘rain’, with a further extended sense. DJ2009:v3:938;
the lower part representing in one view a OT1968:1086; MS1995:v2:1420-21;
pictographic representation of raindrops KJ1970:72-3; BK1957:222; SS1984:898,900;
(Katō). There is, though, a different perspec- AS2007:361.
tive which treats the graph as signifying an
incantation for rain (for Karlgren, redu- Mnemonic: ORDER ZERO RAIN TO FALL – OR
plicated indicates ‘speak, incant’, while for
Shirakawa, it indicates ‘prayer receptacles’). MAYBE JUST A TINY BIT
is given above as one of the seal forms, Or: ORDER ZERO SPILLAGE OF RAINWATER
霊2108 REI, RYŌ, tama ‘shaman/shamaness’, with 霝 (‘rain, rain
L1 spirit, soul falls’; see 2107) as phonetic with as-
sociated sense ‘descend’, taken as giving
15 strokes ‘shaman/shamaness for whom fearsome
deity descends’ (also listed in Mizukami,
YŪREI ghost with nuance ‘fearsome deity, ghost’ in place
AKURYŌ evil spirit of ‘deity’). Alternatively, Ogawa takes 霝 as
tamaya mausoleum semantic in function meaning ‘rain’, giving
‘shaman/ shamaness prays for rain’. Both
Seal ; traditional . Shuowen has as
the main entry, and notes as an alterna- and occur at the clerical script stage;
tive form. Firstly, : this has 5 (‘ruler’), is based on cursive forms. On a cultural
but here representing 15 (‘jade, pre- note, Japanese ghosts are traditionally sup-
cious stone’; at the seal stage, the two were posed to have no legs. MS1995:v2:860-62;
virtually identical in shape), combined with DJ2009:v1:30; OT1968:1087; SK1984:773;
霝, taken here in one view as phonetic with FC1974:v2:2418-20. Take as variant of
associated sense ‘descend, come down’, 977 ‘line up’, along with 3 ‘rain’.
giving ‘precious stone used by shaman/
shamaness to bring deities down’ (noted Mnemonic: SPIRITS LINE UP IN THE
in Mizukami). The alternative form has
RAIN – HARDY SOULS
634 The Remaining 1130 Characters
隷2109 REI the seal script, came to be known as
L1 slave, prisoner REISHO (Ch. lishu), usually in English called
‘clerical script’ or ‘scribe script’. Clerical
16 strokes script represents an important stage in the
historical development of the Chinese script.
DOREI slave Clerical script occurrences of this graph have
DOREISEI slavery both and ; historically speaking, the lat-
REIZOKU subordination ter is a variant form, but now the standard in
Japanese usage. Note: several scholars give a
Seal ( ) ; traditional . Consists of pre-seal form, but its status is questionable,
‘catch up with’ 1668 (see Note below), with and so we take the seal form as the correct
early form (as does Katō). MS1995:v2:1404-5;
(original meaning [provisional]: ‘quince’) KJ1970:916; QX2000:103-112. Suggest tak-
as phonetic with associated sense ‘join, ing as 肀 hand seizing, 氺 as (sweat) drop-
bind, make into a pair’, giving ‘capture and lets, and left-hand as ‘samurai’ 521 and
make into slave/servant’ and hence ‘slave, ‘show’ 723.
prisoner’. Also used in Qin and Han dynasties
as a term for low-ranking officials in charge Mnemonic: SAMURAI SHOWS HOW HE
of prisoners. The script used (though not
actually devised) by them for administrative SEIZED SLAVE DESPITE SWEATY HAND
purposes, significantly abbreviated from
齢2110 REI easily ascertained by checking their teeth.
L2 age Another scholar (Ogawa) analyses the graph
differently, taking as ‘age, years’ (presum-
17 strokes ably as extended sense), with as phonetic
with associated sense ‘pass, elapse’, giving
NENREI age, years overall meaning ‘age’. Note that the modern
MYŌREI youth form has the simplified version of the graph
KŌREI great age for ‘teeth’, i.e. , with inner shape the same
as ‘rice’ 220. KJ1970:915; OT1968:1173;
Seal ; a late graph (later version of SS1984:900. We suggest taking the mod-
Shuowen); traditional . Consists of ern left-hand form(s) as ‘rice’ 220 in the
‘teeth’ (traditional form of 306), com- ‘mouth’ 22, and 143 ‘stop’, and for the
bined with 633 (‘order, rule’) as phonetic right-hand retaining as ‘order’ 633.
with associated sense taken in one view as
‘count’, giving ‘count teeth and determine Mnemonic: ORDERED TO STOP PUTTING RICE
age’ (Katō); meaning later narrowed to ‘age’.
Shirakawa notes that the age of cattle is IN MOUTH TILL A CERTAIN AGE
麗2111 REI, uruwashii Bronze ; seal . Consists of ‘deer’ (NJK,
L1 beautiful see also 1268 for similar graph) combined
with 丽 (‘two identical things’). 丽 is taken
19 strokes in one interpretation as phonetic with as-
sociated sense ‘come/join together’, giving
REIJIN a belle, beauty ‘deer (of type which) converge when they
BIREI beauty see food’ (Mizukami, Katō). Alternatively,
SHŪREI graceful, beautiful
The Remaining 1130 Characters 635
丽 is interpreted as representing two horns ing . Mizukami treats ‘beautiful’ as a loan
(Ogawa takes to be ‘beautifully embellished usage, though a case could be made for
horns’), thus giving ‘beautiful horns’, and by an extended meaning, and may indeed be
extension ‘beautiful’; unless there are early more likely. MS1995:v2:1506-07; KJ1970:915;
text references to substantiate it, analysis OT1968:1160; TA1965:480; SS1984:901. We
based on embellishment of horns does not suggest taking 丽 as hoof-prints.
seem all that convincing. Interpretation as
‘horns’ (unadorned) is favored by Shirakawa, Mnemonic: HOOF-PRINTS OF BEAUTIFUL
who takes 丽 as the earliest way of writ-
DEER
暦2112 REKI, koyomi ment followed by sun and other heavenly
L1 calendar, almanac
bodies at regular intervals). Shirakawa, by
14 strokes contrast, puts forward several proposed
bronze forms for which feature not
REKINEN calendar year ‘sun, day’ but 1048 ‘speak’, which he
SEIREKI Anno Domini
hanagoyomi floral clock interprets as ‘announce on banner military
prowess at camp gates’. The form , now
Seal ; a late graph (later version of Shuow- standard in Japanese usage, evolved as rela-
en); traditional . In one view, analyzed as
consisting of 66 ‘sun, day’, with 厤 (CO; tively late variant (block script stage). Note:
‘divide up evenly/carefully’ – see 636 ‘his-
tory, path’, and for 秝 see Note below) taken 秝 (CO; reduplication of 87 ‘grain plant’) is
as phonetic with associated sense ‘walk
with regular intervals’, giving ‘sun moves taken in one view as ‘arrange grain seedlings
with regular intervals’ (Katō). In similar vein,
Ogawa takes 厤 as phonetic with associated equidistantly’ or ‘arranged properly’ (Mizu-
sense ‘divide up equally’, to give ‘(device) for kami). Shirakawa, alternatively, takes 秝 to
counting by arranging/setting out days’, i.e.
‘calendar’. According to Qiu, was devised represent grain plants placed to mark the
to represent unambiguously in writing the
word for‘calendar’, which had until then entrance to a military camp. KJ1970:921;
been represented using 636 (path/move-
OT1968:474; MS1995:v1:186-7,v2:966-7;
QX2000:357; OT1968:474; SS1984:902-3.
Take the modern form as ‘history’ 636
without the element ‘stop’ 143, i.e. ‘non-
stop’.
Mnemonic: CALENDAR RECORDS NON-STOP
HISTORY OF DAYS
劣2113 RETSU, otoru Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen). Consists of
L1 inferiority 78 ‘strength’ combined with 160 ‘few,
6 strokes little’, giving in one view ‘strength dimin-
ished, less strength’ (Tōdō, Ogawa). Another
HIRETSU baseness commentator (Katō) considers ‘bend’ to
RETTŌKAN inferiority complex be a connotation, giving ‘bend easily due
RESSHA an inferior to poor strength’, and by extension ‘weak’.
Either way, ‘inferior’ is an extended sense.
TA1965:556; OT1968:125; KJ1970:922-3.
Mnemonic: ANYTHING THAT HAS LITTLE
STRENGTH IS INFERIOR
636 The Remaining 1130 Characters
烈2114 RETSU Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 8
L1 fierce, intense ‘fire’, with 437 (‘row’) as phonetic with
associated sense taken as i] ‘severe, violent’,
10 strokes > ‘burn violently’ (Ogawa), or ii] ‘erupt, burst
out’ > ‘fire burns vigorously and explodes’
REKKA raging fire (Katō), or iii] ‘divide up’ > ‘flames divide
RETSUJO heroine and shoot up’ (Mizukami). ‘Severe/intense’
REPPŪ gale are extensions. OT1968:619; KJ1970:922;
MS1995:v2:800-01.
Mnemonic: ROW OF FIERCE FIRES
裂2115 RETSU, saku/keru Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 444
L1 split, rip, rend ‘garment’, with 437 (‘row’; orig ‘cut up’) as
phonetic with associated sense taken as i]
12 strokes ‘rip, cut’ (Ogawa), or ii] ‘take apart, separate’
(Katō) > ‘cut up (when making garment)’.
HARETSU bursting Now used for accidental rip. OT1968:905;
BUNRETSU splitting KJ1970:922.
sakeme rip, tear, crack
Mnemonic: ROW OF RIPPED CLOTHES!
恋2116 REN, koi(shii) already has ; is based on cursive forms
L2 love, beloved of . Note 1: one bronze form of 䜌 shows
hand over three skeins of silk thread, seen as
10 strokes ‘untangle thread’; some bronze/seal forms
have ‘silk’ (two skeins of silk thread), with
REN’AI love
SHITSUREN lost love (‘words’ 118) as phonetic with associated
koibito lover sense ‘tangled’ > ‘(silk) thread gets tangled’,
or ‘unravel tangled thread’ (given in Mizu-
Seal (孌) ; late graph (Shuowen); tradition- kami). Note 2: the associated senses given
al . Shuowen has only 孌; is later vari- by Ogawa and Tōdō relate to the form of
ant. 孌 has 37 ‘woman’, with 䜌 (‘unravel this graph with heart 164, but have been
tangled thread’; see Note 1) as phonetic with applied here also to earlier equivalent with
associated sense taken as i] ‘connected’ >
‘connected to woman’ (Katō), or ii] ‘entan- . DJ2009:v3:1021; MS1995:v2:1212-13;
gled’ > ‘entangled with woman’ (Tōdō), or FC1974:v1:891; KJ1970:897; TA1965:555-
iii] ‘draw’ > ‘drawn towards woman’ (Ogawa) 7; OT1968:371; SK1984:318; AS2007:478.
(see Note 2). For , meanings are adjusted QX2000:179. Use (NJK ‘again’, 1876).
to i] ‘heart connected’, or ii] ‘heart entan-
gled’, or iii] ‘heart drawn to’. Clerical script Mnemonic: MY HEART IS IN LOVE AGAIN
廉2117 REN Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen). Consists of
honest, cheap, corner 127 ‘roof, building’, with 1281 (‘combine’)
as phonetic with associated sense taken as i]
L1 13 strokes ‘angular’ (Ogawa), giving ‘corner’, or ii] ‘lean,
incline’, also giving ‘corner’ (Shirakawa), or – in
RENCHOKU integrity similar vein – iii] ‘steep’, giving ‘steep (side)’
RENKA cheap price (Katō). ‘Honest’ and ‘cheap’ are loan uses of .
HARENCHI impudence OT1968:331; SS1984:906; KJ1970:926
Mnemonic: NOT MANY CORNERS IN CHEAP
BUILDING
The Remaining 1130 Characters 637
錬2118 REN, neru Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen); traditional
L1 refine, train, drill . Consists of 16 ‘metal’ (Katō takes as
16 strokes ‘ore’), combined with 438 (CO, ‘select’;
q.v.) as phonetic with associated sense
RENKINJUTSU alchemy taken either as i] ‘soften’, giving ‘soften and
RENSEI training forge metal’ (Ogawa), or ii] ‘liquify’, giving
nerigane tempered steel ‘ore liquifies’ (Katō)’ or iii] ‘process, treat’,
giving ‘treat metal (by heating)’ (Shirakawa).
呂2119 RO, RYO OT1968:1046; KJ1970:926-7; SS1984:908.
L2 backbone, tone Take right side as ‘east’ 201.
7 strokes Mnemonic: GO EAST FOR TRAINING IN
METAL REFINING
FURO furo bath
RORETSU* articulation OBI ; seal . Etymology disputed, all
I-RO-HA Japanese ‘ABC’ depending on how the shape of this graph
is interpreted. is explained in Shuowen as
炉2120 RO ‘spine, vertebrae’, and Mizukami and Ogawa
L1 furnace, hearth follow this. Shirakawa, though, considers
‘ingots’ to be the correct original mean-
8 strokes ing. Gu takes it to be ‘(palace) rooms’, with
‘backbone’ as a meaning which evolved
IRORI fireside, hearth on the basis of the definition in Shuowen.
DANRO hearth, stove MS1995:v1:222-3; OT1968:174; SS1984:880;
GENSHIRO nuclear reactor GY2008:260-61.
Mnemonic: BACKBONE HAS CONNECTED
SQUARE BONES
Seal ( ) ; traditional . According to
Katō, one of the manuscripts of Shuowen
notes as popular equivalent of .
has 16 ‘metal’, with 盧 (NJK, ‘container’;
see Note below) taken either as semantic
and phonetic meaning ‘box’, giving ‘hearth;
brazier’ (Ogawa), or as phonetic with associ-
ated sense ‘be/put in’, giving ‘brazier’ (Katō).
By extension, ‘furnace’. Note: 盧 is treated by
Mizukami and Katō as identical to , mean-
ing ‘container’; Gu takes as ‘earthen jar’.
GY2008:1228; OT1968:617; KJ1970:899-900;
MS1995:v2:910-11. Take modern form as ‘fire’
8 and ‘door’ 120.
Mnemonic: FURNACE HAS FIRE-DOOR
638 The Remaining 1130 Characters
賂2121 RO, mainai Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 10
L1 bribe, bribery ‘shell (currency)’, with 462 (‘each, every’)
as phonetic with associated sense ‘stop,
13 strokes leave as is’ (Katō). According to Katō, in an-
cient times gifts were brought to court and
WAIRO bribe, bribery laid out as tribute, and the original meaning
(no further compounds) of this graph is ‘present/set out gifts’. Shi-
rakawa agrees this was the original meaning.
‘Bribe’ evolved at an early juncture as an
extended sense. KJ1970:193; SS1984:910.
Mnemonic: USE EACH AND EVERY SHELL AS
A BRIBE
露2122 RO, RŌ, tsuyu Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 3
L1 dew, reveal, small, ‘rain’, with 439 (‘road’) as phonetic with
associated sense ‘condense’, giving ‘weather
Russia element that condenses’ – in this case a ref-
erence to rain-like ‘dew’. Gu suggests ‘expose’
21 strokes is an extended sense based on dew forming
outside where there is no obstruction to
ROSHUTSU exposure stop it forming; perhaps best seen as tenta-
yotsuyu evening dew tive. ‘Small’ may be extended sense from
ROTEN street stall droplet. Also used in Japanese (written style)
for its sound value for ‘Russia’. KJ1970:191;
AS2007:366; GY2008:2015-16.
Mnemonic: ‘RAIN’ ON SMALL RUSSIAN ROAD
REVEALED TO BE DEW
弄2123 RŌ, moteasobu, ijiru Bronze ; seal . Has the shape , here
L1 play, ridicule, amuse standing for 15 ‘jade, precious stone’
(q.v.), with ‘both hands’ (see e.g. 1639).
oneself
is typically taken as semantic in function
7 strokes here, giving ‘fondle/handle jade disc’ (Mizu-
kami takes to be disc of translucent stone
GURŌ ridicule similar to lapis lazuli). An alternative view
GANRŌ toying with (followed by Katō) takes as phonetic with
HONRŌ trifling with associated sense ‘rub, smoothe’, but still
giving the same overall meaning. Mizukami
and Gu treat ‘play, amuse oneself’ as extend-
ed senses. ‘Ridicule’ may also be extended
sense. MS1995:v1:462-3; GY2008:361;
KJ1970:442-3. Take as twenty (two ‘tens’
35).
Mnemonic: AMUSE ONESELF PLAYING WITH
TWENTY JADE DISCS – RIDICULOUS!
The Remaining 1130 Characters 639
郎2124 RŌ sense unclear). Originally used to denote a
L1 man, husband village in the ancient Chinese state of Lu.
The meaning ‘male’ derives from use of un-
9 strokes derlying word by women in ancient China to
refer to husband, later becoming extended
SHINRŌ bridegroom in meaning. In Japanese, typically occurs as
YARŌ guy, fellow a suffix in some male given names (e.g.
JORŌya brothel Tarō). KJ1970:539-40; TA1965:361. Take as
‘variant ‘good’ .
Seal ; late graph (Shuowen); traditional
form has as left-hand element. Graph Mnemonic: HUSBAND IS MAN FROM GOOD
has 376 ‘village’ as right-hand element,
with 628 (‘good’) as phonetic (associated VILLAGE
浪2125 RŌ, nami says ‘pale, bluish white’), giving ‘clear/blu-
L1 wave, drift, waste ish white water’. Originally denoted a river
name in ancient China (lower reaches of
10 strokes the Han River [a tributary of the Yangtze]).
Katō treats its modern meanings as loan
RŌNIN masterless samurai usage, but ‘wave’ and ‘drift’ may be felt to be
HARŌ waves, surge extended senses. OT1968:583; KJ1970:894;
RŌHI waste TA1965:360-62.
Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 42 Mnemonic: DRIFT ON WAVES ON STRETCH
‘water’, with 628 (‘good’) as phonetic
with associated sense taken as ‘clear’ (Katō OF GOOD WATER
廊2126 RŌ Seal ; late graph (later version of Shuowen).
L1 corridor, walkway Has 127 ‘building’, with 2124 (‘male’)
as phonetic with associated sense taken as i]
12 strokes ‘empty’, thus ‘empty area beneath lean-to roof’
(Katō), or ii] ‘surround, enclose’, giving ‘structure
RŌKA corridor lower down around building to conduct formal
GARŌ picture gallery matters’. Gu takes to mean walls on both sides
HORŌ arcade, corridor of a hall or similar building. Relative to the
above, ‘corridor’ is extended sense. KJ1970:894;
OT1968:331; GY2008:1297.
Mnemonic: HUSBAND (NAMED TARŌ) IS IN A
CORRIDOR IN THAT BUILDING
楼2127 RŌ Seal ; late graph (Shuowen); traditional .
L1 tower Has 73 ‘wood,’, with (meanings include
‘shamaness’; see Note below) as phonetic
13 strokes with associated sense ‘accumulate’, giving
‘wooden building with multiple storeys’
BŌRŌ watchtower (Katō takes more modestly as ‘two-storey
KŌRŌ tall building wooden structure’). Note: NJK is taken
SHŌRŌ bell tower, belfry in one view as 37 ‘woman’, with as
640 The Remaining 1130 Characters
phonetic with associated sense ‘shama- OT1968:517; KJ1970:928-9; AS2007:364;
ness, consult with shamaness’ (apparently a MS1995:v1:336-8. Take top right element in
hunchback shamaness). Mizukami also notes modern form as rice 220.
a different view of as meaning ‘capture
and link women together’. Schuessler gives Mnemonic: WOMAN PREPARES RICE IN
original sense of as ‘mound’, and also WOODEN TOWER
notes possible link with ‘hunchbacked’.
漏2128 RŌ, moru/reru/rasu Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Original
L1 leak form was 屚, with water 42 added later as
determinative. 屚 has 256 (often ‘corpse’),
14 strokes but here meaning ‘roof’, with 3 ‘rain’,
thus ‘rain leaks through roof’, giving ‘leak’
RŌDEN short circuit generally. Shuowen defines as ‘clepsydra’
RŌSHUTSU leakage (water-clock), which is an extended sense
amamori leak in roof based on dripping of water being a simple
means of measuring time. GY2008:1759-60;
MS1995:v1:412-3; OT1968:606. Take as
‘corpse’.
Mnemonic: RAINWATER LEAKS ON CORPSE
籠2129 RŌ, kago, komoru Seal ; late graph (Shuowen). Has 58
L1 stay at home, basket, ‘bamboo’, with (traditional form of
2081 ‘dragon’) as phonetic with associated
cage sense ‘cram/stuff in’, giving ‘bamboo basket
to cram things into’. ‘Staying at home’ is an
22 strokes extended sense. OT1968:760; GY2008:266-7.
hikikomori staying at home Mnemonic: TRADITIONAL DRAGON STAYS AT
torikago bird cage
RŌKYŪ basketball HOME IN A BAMBOO CAGE
麓2130 ROKU, fumoto OBI ; seal . Has 79 ‘forest’, with
L1 foot of mountain 2111 ‘deer’ as phonetic with associated
sense ‘continue a long way, continue’, giving
19 strokes ‘forest which stretches (right) down to base
of mountain’. Shuowen defines graph as ‘of-
SANROKU foot of mountain ficial in charge of mountain and forest’, but
(no further compounds) this is an extended sense. MS1995:v2:1506-7;
OT1968:529; GY2008:1985.
Mnemonic: THERE ARE DEER IN THE FOREST
AT THE FOOT OF THE MOUNTAIN
The Remaining 1130 Characters 641
賄2131 WAI, makanau taken as i] ‘force on (someone)’ or ‘make a gift’,
L1 bribe, provide, board thus ‘make a gift of money’ (Katō), or ii] ‘put
forward’, thus ‘make gift of valuables’ (Ogawa),
13 strokes or iii] ‘keep, store’, giving ‘valuables which
are stored’ (Tōdō). A negative connotation
WAIRO bribe, bribery evolved later from the basic meaning ‘provide’,
SHŪWAI taking a bribe leading to the sense ‘bribe’. KJ1970:933;
makanaiHI charge for board OT1968:958; TA1968:139-43; GY2008:1056.
Seal ; a late graph (Shuowen). Consists Mnemonic: PROVIDE SHELL-MONEY FOR
of 10 ‘shellfish, shell money’, with 423
(‘have’) as phonetic with associated sense BRIBES
脇2132 waki, KYŌ between elbows’, i.e. ‘side (of torso)’, and by
L1 side, armpit, flank extension ‘armpit’. A further extended sense
is ‘threaten’, based on the concept of being
10 strokes enclosed on both sides, and to represent
this meaning unambiguously there later
wakinoshita armpit arose the convention of writing the constitu-
wakime side glance ent elements differently, as 1225 (q.v.).
KYŌSOKU armrest The meaning of ‘threaten’ for 2132 is no
longer in use. KJ1970:360; GY2008:680-81;
Seal ( ) ; a late graph (Shuowen). Shuo- TA1965:860-62.
wen has , consisting of 209 (‘flesh,
meat; body’), with (‘combined strength, Mnemonic: BODY HAS TRIPLE STRENGTH AT
put together’ [< ‘strength’ 78]) as phonet-
ic with associated sense ‘hold between, in- SIDES AND ARMPITS
sert between’, giving ‘either side of stomach
惑2133 WAKU, madou Bronze ; seal . Has 164 ‘heart, mind,
L1 be confused feelings’, with (CO; ‘defend defined area
with arms’ [see / 136 ‘country, state’, and
12 strokes ‘area’ 828]) as phonetic, with associated
sense as i] ‘doubt’, giving ‘feel doubt and
MEIWAKU trouble indecision’ (Katō), or ii] ‘be confined’, giving
WAKUSEI planet ‘feel constrained’ (Tōdō). MS1995:v1:514-5;
tomadoi confusion KJ1970:934; TA1965:139-43.
Mnemonic: HAVE CONFUSED FEELINGS AT
STAKED-OUT AREA
枠2134 waku A graph devised in Japan (kokuji) based on
L1 frame, spindle formational principles of Chinese characters.
Has ‘wood’ 73, with ‘frame for winding
8 strokes thread’ (see 1372), thus ‘wooden thread-
winding frame’; sense generalized to ‘frame’.
wakugumi framework OT1968:496. Take as ‘nine’ 13 and ‘ten’
wakunashi frameless
wakuNAI within limits 35.
Mnemonic: FRAME MADE FROM NINETEEN
PIECES OF WOOD
642 The Remaining 1130 Characters
湾2135 WAN A late, post-Shuowen graph; traditional form:
L2 bay, gulf . Consists of 42 ‘water’, with ‘bend (a
12 strokes bow)’ (see note below) as semantic and pho-
netic, giving ‘water’s edge bent like a bow’,
KŌWAN harbor i.e. ‘bay’. Note: CO is comprised of 107
WANNYŪ inlet ‘bow’, with 䜌 as phonetic with associated
TŌKYŌWAN Tokyo Bay sense ‘bend’. KJ1970:934-5; OT1968:598;
AS2007:506. We suggest using 1876 (NJK
meaning ‘again’).
Mnemonic: THE WATERS OF A BOW-SHAPED
BAY AGAIN
腕2136 WAN, ude unsatisfactory as a way of paraphrasing ‘arm’,
L2 arm, ability but it does correspond to Tōdō’s interpreta-
tion (echoed by Schuessler) as ‘wrist’. While
12 strokes there are differences of interpretation as
to which part of the arm was originally
WANSHŌ armband denoted, the graph has clearly been used to
SHUWAN ability refer to the arm or some part of it. Note:
hosoude thin arms, slender means is comprised of 30 ‘roof, building, cover’,
with 夗 (‘lie in bent-up position’) as phonetic
A late, post-Shuowen graph. Has 209 with associated sense ‘rounded, bent’, giv-
‘flesh, meat; body’, with (NJK ‘stoop, bend ing ‘stoop, bend’. KJ1970:934; OT1968:825;
over’; see Note below) as phonetic with as- AS2007:583; TA1965:611-21; GY2008:186.
sociated sense taken in one view as ‘straight
and short’, giving ‘forearm’ (Katō). Another Mnemonic: ABILITY TO LIE WITH BODY AND
commentator (Ogawa) takes the associated
sense as i] ‘bend’, giving ‘part (of body) to ARM IN BENT POSITION UNDER ROOF
move by bending hand’ (sic); this would be
The Remaining 1130 Characters 643
READINGS INDEX
&
STROKE COUNT
Readings Index
A aki 156 ani 114
1007 akinau 333 ano 1879
A 814 akirameru 1754 aogu 1229
abareru 625 akogareru 1269 aogu 1599
abiru 844 akogareru 1510 aoi
abunai 422 aku 17 arai 45
abura 1408 AKU 241 arai 1329
abura 581 AKU 1011 arashi 1621
ada 1152 aku 1964 arasou 1014
aete 1569 ama- 558
agameru 3 arata 165
agaru 39 ama- 62 aratameru 458
ageru 482 ama 1819 arau 927
ageru 2051 amaeru 1139 arawareru 692
ago 1125 amai 1139 arawareru 1294
ai- 348 amaneku 1913 arawasu 402
AI 441 amaneku 1945 arawasu 949
AI 1008 amaru 820 areru 1329
AI 1009 amatsusae 1518 aru 423
AI 1010 ame 3 aru 711
ai 2072 ami 2025 aruku 221
aida 100 amu 806 asa 191
aji 415 AN 242 asa 1995
ajiwau 415 AN 243 asai 554
akagane 781 AN 442 ase 1140
akai 48 AN 2032 aseru 1503
akarui 228 ana 860 ashi
akatsuki 1230 ana 1316 ashi 54
akeru 228 anadoru 1919 asobu 1200
akeru 261 ane 146 ataeru 424
2047
646
atai 657 ayaui 844 BAN 1864
atai 946 ayumu 221 BAN 1876
atama 203 azakeru 1723 BAN 1877
atarashii 165 azamuku 1190 BATSU 615
atari 608 azayaka 1612 BATSU 1857
ataru 200 aze 1866 BATSU 1858
atatakai 257 azukaru 821 BATSU 1859
atatakai 945 azuma 201 BATSU 1860
-ate 1013 608
ategau be 220
ateru 1013 B BEI 655
ateru 161 -beki 655
ato 1013 ba 210 beku 413
ato 1461 BA 1833 BEN 610
ato 123 BA 1834 BEN 807
atou 1360 BA 1833 BEN 872
ATSU 1592 baba 1859 beni 607
atsui 787 BACHI 211 BETSU 1943
atsui 641 BAI 212 BETSU 398
atsui 329 BAI 389 BI 399
atsukau 589 BAI 592 BI 795
atsumaru 698 BAI 1038 BI 1888
au 1012 BAI 1839 BI 1889
au 324 BAI 1840 BI 1890
au 1841 BI 2029
awa 93 BAI 1842 BI 610
awai 134 BAI 1973 BIN 798
aware 1641 BAI 258 BIN 1903
awaremu 1956 BAI 213 BIN 1904
awaseru 1689 bakeru 593 BIN 222
awaseru 1008 BAKU 814 BO 809
awateru 1008 BAKU 989 BO 982
ayakaru 134 BAKU 1850 BO 992
ayamachi 1933 BAKU 1851 BO 1949
ayamaru 1336 BAKU 1852 BO 1950
ayamaru 1490 BAKU 215 BO 1951
ayashii 659 BAKU 227 BO 613
ayashii 728 BAN 395 BŌ 812
ayatsuru 868 BAN 790 BŌ 813
1096 BAN 971 BŌ
2049 BAN
935 BAN
Readings Index 647
BŌ 814 BU 802 chichi 216
BŌ 985 BU 1919 chichi 961
BŌ 986 BU 1920 chigau 1024
BŌ 987 BU 1954 chigiru 1258
BŌ 1967 buchi 1869 chiisai 38
BŌ 1968 BUN 904
BŌ 1969 BUN 72 chijimu 113
BŌ 1970 BUN 218 chikai 78
BŌ 1971 BUN 219 chikara 1583
BŌ 1972 buta 1089 chikau 58
BŌ 1973 BUTSU 1807 CHIKU 774
BŌ 1974 BUTSU 410 CHIKU 1702
BŌ 1975 BYŌ 805 CHIKU 1703
BŌ 1976 BYŌ 403 CHIKU 1704
BŌ 1977 BYŌ 404 CHIKU 953
BŌ 1978 BYŌ 411 CHIN 1729
BŌ 1979 BYŌ 1897 CHIN 1730
BŌ 1980 BYŌ 1898 CHIN 1731
BŌ 1981 1899 CHIN 1732
BŌ 1733
BŌ 2012 C CHIN 2002
boko CHIN 519
BOKU 2021 CHA 187 CHIN 1705
BOKU 1061 CHAKU 364 chiru 1706
BOKU 1707 CHITSU 572
BOKU 73 CHAKU 49 CHITSU 949
BOKU 614 chi 184 CHO 1481
BOKU 1983 CHI 185 CHO 61
BOKU 1984 CHI 186 CHO 189
BON 1985 CHI 288 CHŌ 190
BON 1986 chi 527 CHŌ 191
BON 1987 CHI 570 CHŌ 326
BOTSU 1871 CHI 726 CHŌ 367
BOTSU 1993 CHI 946 CHŌ 368
BU 1994 CHI 961 CHŌ 369
BU 1988 chi 1696 CHŌ 573
BU 1989 CHI 1697 CHŌ 574
BU 218 CHI 1698 CHŌ 775
BU 221 CHI 1699 CHŌ 776
407 CHI 1700 CHŌ
648 Readings Index 600 CHI 1701 CHŌ
620 CHI
CHŌ 950 DA 1658 DO 582
CHŌ 951 DA 1659 DO 1773
CHŌ 952 DA 1660 DO 1774
CHŌ 1714 DA 1661 DŌ 204
CHŌ 1715 DAI 205
CHŌ 1716 DAI 56 DŌ 384
CHŌ 1717 DAI 183 DŌ 385
CHŌ 1718 DAI 194 DŌ 584
CHŌ 1719 DAI 207 DŌ 585
CHŌ 1720 DAI 358 DŌ 781
CHŌ 1721 DAI 359 DŌ 782
CHŌ 1722 DAKU 360 DŌ 1510
CHŌ 1723 DAKU 1679 DŌ 1796
CHŌ 1724 daku 1680 DŌ 1797
CHŌ 1725 damaru 1955 DŌ 1798
CHŌ 1726 DAN 2026 DŌ 1340
CHŌ 1736 DAN 57 dobu 206
CHOKU 192 DAN 363 DOKU 588
CHOKU 1727 DAN 772 DOKU 784
CHOKU 1728 DAN 773 DOKU 1809
CHŪ 59 DAN 944 DON 1810
CHŪ 60 DAN 945 DON 1811
CHŪ 188 DAN 1687 DON 1812
CHŪ 365 DAN 1694 DON 1812
CHŪ 366 dare 1695 donburi 1765
CHŪ 571 dasu 1685 dono 1755
CHŪ 947 DATSU 36 doro
CHŪ 948 DATSU 1682 93
CHŪ 1708 DE 95
CHŪ 1709 DEI 1683 E 326
CHŪ 1710 DEKI 1015
CHŪ 1711 deko 194 E 1259
CHŪ 1712 DEN 1755 E 1319
CHŪ 1713 DEN 1758 -e 1418
1804 E 1934
D DEN 719
DEN 63 E 1898
DA 355 deru 197 e 252
DA 1434 DO 580 e
DA 1657 DO 1765 e
36 eda
64 egaku
377 EI
Readings Index 649
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The Complete Guide to Japanese Kanji_ (JLPT All Levels) Remembering and Understanding the 2136 Standard Characters
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