The short story of Kanji pictures
This kanji instantly makes it easy to imagine exactly what it means! On the left, you have the raw material of a massive, solid TREE. On the right, the intricate lines perfectly depict the wooden frames of a building being locked together. Combining the strong wood with precise architecture, this character serves as the ultimate visual definition of ‘BUILD’ or ‘STRUCTURE’
On the left side of this kanji, you can find a TREE, and on the right, the BONE of an ANIMAL oriented heading up. Together, they represent the absolute center of life: the core of a plant and the core of an animal. This is why this powerful character means ‘CORE’ or ‘NUCLEUS’ in Japanese.
“This kanji holds a deeply mysterious meaning in Japanese legend. In Japan, a ‘PILLAR’ is not just a support for a house—it is also the symbol of a ‘GOD.’ On the left, you can see a giant tree, and on the right, a ladder extending to the heavens. Therefore, this kanji represents a sacred way to contact the GODS, using a long ladder as grand as a towering tree.
A huge tree was cut down with a sharp ax, leaving behind a fresh stump. This image of a freshly cut tree is why this kanji came to mean ‘NEW’!
