カテゴリー: B

This kanji is made of two parts. On the left is the ‘body’ radical. On the right is an element depicting a synapse-like crossroads inside a human’s head, topped with a few strands of hair. Combined, this kanji means ‘brain.

Words & Phrases

• 脳味噌（nou-miso):An old-fashioned, everyday term for the brain.
• 脳裏（nouri):One’s inner thoughts and feelings; the internal realm of the mind.

This kanji is made of two parts.On the left is the ‘fire’ radical.On the right is an element showing firewood stacked high to build a large bonfire. Combined, this kanji originally represented a bonfire lit to illuminate the night or clear the fields. Over time, it came to mean a blazing fire that spreads rapidly and burns everything in its path.

Words & Phrases

• 燎原の火（ryougen-no-hi）:Spreading rapidly and furiously like a brushfire, with unstoppable momentum.

This kanji is made of two parts. On the left is the ‘do not’ radical, depicting cloths or streamers fluttering in the wind so quickly that they become blurred and vanish. On the right is the ‘sword’ radical. Combined, this kanji represents severing someone’s head with a sword, meaning ‘to behead’ or ‘to cut off a head’ so that it is no longer there.

Words & Phrases

• 刎頸の交わり(funkei-no-majiwari):A bond of friendship so deep and absolute that one would willingly face beheading or lay down one’s life for the other.

This kanji shows a hawk as a symbol for birds. It used to mean ‘bird’ in the past, but nowadays we use a different kanji (鳥) for birds in general.

This kanji features the “tree” (wood) radical on the left and a symbol for a wide, tall structure that stretches from one end to another on the right. Combined, it originally meant a wooden “bridge.” Over time, its meaning expanded to describe anything that connects two points.

Words & Phrases

• 橋脚（kyoukyaku）:A pillar, column, or pier that supports the span and weight of a bridge.
• 橋渡し（hashiwatashi）:The act of serving as a bridge between two parties to help them reach an agreement, or the person who performs that role; an intermediary or mediator.

This kanji is made of three radicals: “jewel” on the top left, “light blue” on the top right, and “stone” at the bottom.Combined, it means a clear blue color or a blue gemstone.

Words & Phrases

• 碧海（hekikai）:blue ocean
• 碧空（hekikuu）:blue sky

This kanji has two parts: the top radical represents a bone joint, and the bottom radical means “muscle” or “body.” Together, it originally meant a physical “bone.” Over time, its meaning expanded to describe the ability to move your body effectively, just as you imagine.

Words & Phrases

• 骨子（kosshi）:The central points, main framework, or backbone that forms the foundation of an idea or plan.
• 骨肉（kotsuniku）:A person who is related to someone by birth or blood ties, such as parents, children, or siblings.

This kanji depicts a blackened vessel or bag filled with soot from a fire. Therefore, this kanji came to mean the color ‘black’.

Words ＆Phrases

• 暗黒（ankoku）: A state of complete darkness with no light at all.
• 漆黒（shikkkoku）：A deep, lustrous black, like that of black lacquer.
• 黒字（kuroji）: A financial state where income exceeds expenses, resulting in a profit.

This kanji consists of two parts: the ‘tree’ radical on the left, and a hand holding a branch on the right. Originally, it referred to a tree branch itself. By extension, it came to mean ‘something that branches off from the main stream.’

Words & Phrases

• 枝葉末節（shiyoumassetsu）：minor details at the fringes
• 枝を矯めて花を散らす(edawotamete,hanawochirasu):Bending the branch to fix it, only to scatter the blossoms.