うかんむり – Kanji Japan

2026年9月26日2026年9月26日

palace(宮)

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.”

2026年9月26日2026年9月26日

religion(宗)

This character combines the “roof” radical with an altar for gods and ancestors below. Symbolizing a private place of prayer, it evolved to mean “religion” or “spiritual teachings.”

2026年9月26日2026年9月26日

twilight(宵)

At the top of this character is the “roof” radical, and below it is the “moon” radical topped with a small light symbol. Together, they depict faint light entering a house at dawn, giving the character the meaning of “early morning” or “twilight.”

2026年8月18日2026年8月19日

declare(宣)

This kanji is composed of the ‘roof’ radical (representing a grand palace or hall) and a symbol representing sound or wind spreading widely. It abstractly depicts a voice or proclamation echoing throughout a large room. Originally, it meant to proclaim an official decree throughout a palace, which eventually came to mean ‘to declare’ or ‘to announce’ publicly.

2026年8月14日2026年8月20日

letter(字)

This kanji depicts a baby inside a house under a roof. Originally, it meant ‘to raise or nurture a child.’ By extension, it came to mean the name given to a child, and eventually came to refer to written characters or ‘letters’ as we know them today.

2026年7月29日2026年8月18日

treasure(寶)

“This kanji features a roof (or house) radical on top. Below it are symbols for shell money, a jar filled with sake, and a king (or jade). Together, they represent a house filled with precious things, meaning ‘treasure.’

2026年7月13日2026年8月20日

safe(安)

This kanji depicts a woman feeling relaxed under the roof of a house. Therefore, it carries the meaning ‘safe’ or ‘peaceful’.

2026年6月7日2026年8月19日

wealth(富)

In this figure, you can see a large bottle resting beneath a grand roof. Just as you might imagine, that bottle is filled with a treasure trove of money. In ancient times, this is exactly how people saved their wealth. Therefore, this character remains the ultimate symbol for ‘wealth’ even today.

2026年6月5日2026年9月24日

house(家)

This kanji is one of the oldest types of characters. You can see a ‘PIG’ nestled safely under a ‘BIG ROOF.’ In ancient times, humans and animals lived together under the same roof every single day. That is why this symbol of shelter and togetherness means ‘HOUSE’ in Japanese!