Perhaps it was essential for ancient people to first name the elements of nature around them, such as trees, rivers, mountains, and animals. This character beautifully represents ‘tree’ in a single word.
tree(木)
path(峠)
On the left, you can find a mountain, and on the right, you can see the symbols for ‘up’ and ‘down’ stacked together. This character beautifully captures the exact point where a climb turns into a descent, meaning ‘mountain path’ or ‘pass’.
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take(取)
In ancient times, when people were defeated in war, their ears were cut off and taken by the victors as proof of victory. Therefore, this character directly captures that brutal history to mean ‘take’.
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tiger(虎)
This character simply symbolizes the fierce figure of a tiger heading up, looking to the sky with powerful energy!
far(遠)
This character symbolizes the scene of a person walking slowly over a vast, long distance. Therefore, it perfectly captures the exact meaning of ‘far’.
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wealth(富)
In this figure, you can see a large bottle resting beneath a grand roof. Just as you might imagine, that bottle is filled with a treasure trove of money. In ancient times, this is exactly how people saved their wealth. Therefore, this character remains the ultimate symbol for ‘wealth’ even today.
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stop(止)
When I look at the character for ‘stop,’ I often feel that the imagination of ancient people was not so different from our own. The shape vividly says, ‘You can’t go any further past this fence!’—just like a modern traffic sign. Indeed, this character simply means ‘stop’.
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virtue(徳)
near(近)
This character depicts an ax placed right beside a road used for hunting. It signifies a short distance where you barely need to move to reach something, beautifully capturing the exact meaning of ‘near’.
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steel(鐵)
On the left side of this character, you can find a symbol for money or metal, while the right part combines elements signifying a weapon and a king. It reveals a historical truth: in ancient times, the tribe that mastered the art of making steel gained the power to become kings, growing incredibly strong and rich. In world history, steelmaking was first invented in ancient Turkey, and in local lore, a legendary indigenous tribe was famous for holding this advanced knowledge.