The short story of Kanji pictures
On the left side of this character, you can see the ‘SUN.’ On the right, it depicts a fresh green plant growing from clean water in a tank. Together, they represent ‘glowing beautifully in a great environment.’ Over time, its meaning shifted, and today it is used to mean ‘FINE’ or ‘CLEAR WEATHER’ in Japanese.
This kanji describes a ‘LEAF’ spreading wide to catch the SUN! As you can see, the shape captures the energy of nature, and that is why this kanji means ‘LEAF’ in Japanese.
This kanji originally depicted a grand shelf or hanger used to hook DRUMS and BELLS for sacred festivals. Over time, its meaning shifted to represent ‘A PLACE WHERE IMPORTANT THINGS ARE SET.’ Today, this character has evolved to mean ‘STUDY’ or ‘ACADEMIC WORK’ in Japanese.
The basic shape of this kanji represents a ‘KING’ standing firmly on the land, holding a sparkling gem on his left side. In Japan, the emperor has held a sacred GEM as a symbol of power from ancient times to the present day. Therefore, this kanji means ‘GEM’ or ‘JEWEL’
In this character, you can see a rope coiled up underneath a table. This figure directly depicts that hidden situation. Therefore, this kanji carries the meaning of ‘HIDDEN,’ ‘CAN’T SEE CLEARLY,’ or ‘BLACK’ in Japanese.
This kanji describes a man who has started to dance with joy, so the character itself means ‘ENJOY’ or ‘FUN.’ When you combine this kanji with another character meaning ‘SOUND,’ it forms a new word—’MUSIC’ (On-gaku)!
