This kanji illustrates the moon rising into the sky just before night. Because of this, it represents ‘evening’ or ‘dusk.’
Words ＆ Phrases
- 夕日（yu-hi):sunset
- 夕方（yu-gata):the time when the sun goes down
- 夕食（yushokul）:dinner
evening(夕)
effective(効)
This kanji combines the element for ‘twisting or crossing’ on the left with the ‘power’ radical on the right. Together, it represents blending different strengths together to achieve great results, giving the character the meaning ‘effective’ or ‘to take effect.’
Words & Phrases
- 効果（kouka）:Effect
- 効率（kouritsu）:Efficiency
- 効力（kouryoku）:Effictive
shark(鮫)
This kanji combines the ‘fish’ radical on the left with an element depicting a person twisting their body on the right. Together, it portrays a fish flexing and undulating its body to swim swiftly through the ocean. In fact, this character represents the ‘shark,’ widely known as a formidable apex predator of the sea.
Related Posts
squeeze(絞)
This kanji combines the ‘thread’ radical on the left with an element depicting a person twisting their body on the right. Together, it represents twisting threads together, which evolved to mean wringing or squeezing things like cloth.
Words & Phrases
- 絞り染め（shiborizome):tie-dye or tie-dyeing
Related Posts
twist(交)
This kanji depicts a person twisting their hips while walking. From this motion, the character came to mean ‘to twist’ or ‘to cross.
Words & Phrases
- 交易（koueki）:to trade
- 交換（koukan):exchange
- 交響曲（koukyoukyoku):symphony
Related Posts
logic(理)
This kanji combines the ‘jade’ radical on the left with an element on the right signifying orderly lines and division. Together, it originally depicted carving jade along its natural grain. Following this natural grain came to symbolize following universal truth, giving the kanji its meanings of ‘reason,’ ‘principle,’ and ‘logic.’
Words & Phrases
- 理想（risou):The supreme or most desirable state that one seeks and strives for in things.
- 理念（rinen）:A core philosophy of how things should be.
- 理由（riyuu）:The reasons, process, or logical sequence of how things came to be.
- 理論（riron）:The process of finding patterns and unity across separate events to construct a logically unified system.
Related Posts
village(里)
This kanji consists of two parts: the ‘rice field’ radical at the top and ‘earth’ or ‘soil’ at the bottom. Together, it originally depicted a plot of arable land where people gathered to farm and settle. Because of this, the character came to mean a ‘village,’ ‘hamlet,’ or ‘hometown,’ and was later also used as a traditional unit of distance.
Words & Phrases
- 里心（satogokoro):A sentimental yearning for one’s birthplace or the place one used to call home.
- 里山（satoyama):Woodlands and gentle hills adjacent to villages that are deeply connected to everyday living.
Related Posts
Yagawa Benzaiten（矢川辨財天）
Yagawa Benzaiten originated from an ancient roadside shrine by the Yagawa River, said to have once been the guardian deity of the nearby historical Minowa Castle. The shrine grounds feature white snakes—messengers of Benzaiten—perched on bridge railings and carved as rare guardian snakes (koma-hebi). Visitors can also view carp swimming peacefully in the sacred Dragon God Pond.
Where is Yaho？
Where is Yaho?
Town
Town
Culture
Culture
Nature
Nature
Yabo Tenmangu
Yabo Tenmangu
History
History
cup(杯)
This kanji is composed of two parts. On the left is the ‘tree’ radical. On the right is an element representing a flower calyx with a softly rounded curve. Because of this combination, the character came to mean a rounded drinking cup made of wood.
Words & Phrases
- 乾杯（kanpai）: Cheers!
distort(歪)
This kanji is composed of two parts. At the top is the negative prefix (“un-” or “non-“), which originally depicted a flower calyx without any petals or fruit, coming to mean “not” or “without.” Below it is the character for “correct” or “right”, which originally represented a footprint halting before a boundary line—symbolizing stopping someone before they head in the wrong direction. Combined, they literally signify “not right” or “non-truth.” By extension, the character came to mean distorting or twisting what is right, perverting the truth, or altering facts so that they become crooked or misleading.
Words & Phrases
- 歪曲（waikyoku）:to distort the truth