The short story of Kanji pictures
This kanji consists of two parts. On the left is the “mouth” radical, and on the right is a component showing something rising up from within, like a mountain swollen with magma. Together, it means “to erupt,” “to spray,” or “to spout.”
This kanji has two parts. The left side is the radical for “earth” or “soil.” The right side shows something rising up from inside, like a mountain swollen with magma. Combined, it means a “mound,” “hill,” or “ancient tomb.”
This kanji has two parts. The top part is a big knife that is about to cut a thread. The bottom part is the radical for “heart.” Combined, it shows the nervous feeling of worrying that the thread will break at any moment. So, it means to feel afraid or scared.
This kanji has two radicals. The left side is the ‘water’ radical (a river). The right side shows three footprints in the sand, meaning ‘to stop’ or ‘to stay.’ Combined, it originally meant a place where water is slow or stagnant. Later, it came to be used for words like traffic jams(渋滞）, being reluctant（渋々）, and the name of a town with slow-flowing water ‘Shibuya’（渋谷）.
This kanji consists of two parts. At the top is the “house” radical. Inside at the bottom is the “festival” radical, which depicts praying hands and an altar dedicated to the gods. Together, it originally meant to clearly understand and accept a message from the gods within one’s home. Later, it came to mean “to sense” or “to perceive” something.
This kanji has three parts. At the top left, there is a loyal servant watching over his king. At the top right is a hand. At the bottom is a shell, which was the earliest form of money. Combined, this kanji means a wise person who can manage money cleverly and thoughtfully for their ruler and people.
This kanji consists of two parts. On the left is the “ear” radical, and on the right is the “heart” radical. Together, this kanji means “shame” or “shameful,” depicting the feeling of shame as your ears turn red.
This kanji originally depicted someone using a hammer to forge something. Later, it came to mean “to craft a weapon.” By extension, it evolved to mean “to attack” or “to assault” someone, as crafting weapons ultimately leads to launching an attack.
もともとは金づちを使って金属を打ち、武器を作り出す様子を描いた漢字です。武器を作ることが最終的に戦いや襲撃につながることから、「攻撃する・攻める」という意味へと変化しました。
