The short story of Kanji pictures
This kanji is composed of two parts: the upper element, representing an umbilical cord connecting mother and child, and the ‘child’ radical below. Combined, the character conveys the image of harboring a child in the womb, meaning ‘to become pregnant’ or ‘to nurture new life.’
This kanji originally depicted stacked firewood and a pot boiling over a fire, carrying the initial meaning ‘to boil.’ However, because its pronunciation was similar to the spoken word for ‘person,’ the character was borrowed through phonetic association to mean ‘person’ or ‘someone.’
This kanji consists of two parts. On the left is the ‘human’ radical, which originally represented a man standing. On the right is the element for ‘righteousness,’ itself composed of a sheep and a curved saw used to carve sacrificial mutton for divine offerings. Combined, this kanji came to mean moral principles’ or propriety.’
This kanji consists of two parts. On the left is an altar dedicated to the gods. On the right is an axe, representing the power to push forward and break through obstacles. Combined, this kanji represents offering strength to the gods, which came to mean ‘to pray.’
This kanji is made of two parts. On the left is the ‘jewel’ radical, depicting a king holding a precious gemstone. On the right is an element representing a woman with beautiful long hair. Combined, this kanji came to mean something precious, rare, or exquisite—like a royal jewel or a woman’s long, beautiful hair.
This kanji is made of two parts. On the left is the ‘hand’ radical. On the right is an element depicting a person held or squeezed from both sides. Combined, this kanji means to hold, pinch, or sandwich something strictly between two things.
This kanji is made of two parts. On the left is the ‘thread’ radical. On the right is an element depicting something important tied or bound tightly. Combined, this kanji originally represented tying important things together so they wouldn’t break apart. From this concept of binding, it came to mean bundling or consolidating, and by extension, making a promise.
This kanji consists of two parts. On the left is the ‘word’ radical, which originally represented a sacred oath made before God—one so absolute that breaking it meant punishment by the sword. On the right is the radical for the number ten. Together, the kanji originally meant to count aloud using words. Over time, its meaning expanded to measuring, calculating, and planning.
This kanji consists of two parts. On the left is the “earth” or “soil” radical, and on the right is a component showing the sun shining down on the ground. Together, it originally meant a sacred place illuminated by the sun. By extension, it came to mean simply a place where people gather.
At the top of this character is the “roof” radical, and below it is a symbol representing a person’s backbone. Together, they depict a grand building that houses royalty or religious figures, giving the character the meaning of “palace.”