This Kanji has two parts: ‘water’ on the left, and a hawk on an arm, ready to take flight, on the right. Together, they symbolize a spirit level, representing flatness and accuracy like a hawk flying straight to its goal.
level(準)
stagnant(澁・渋)
This kanji has two radicals. The left side is the ‘water’ radical (a river). The right side shows three footprints in the sand, meaning ‘to stop’ or ‘to stay.’ Combined, it originally meant a place where water is slow or stagnant. Later, it came to be used for words like traffic jams(渋滞）, being reluctant（渋々）, and the name of a town with slow-flowing water ‘Shibuya’（渋谷）.
school(派)
tear(泪)
This kanji consists of ‘water’ on the left and an ‘eye’ on the right. As you can see, the combination of water and the eye creates the meaning of ‘tear’.
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pour(注)
This kanji shows oil being poured from the left into a fire on the right, making the fire grow bigger. That is why it means to ‘pour’ something in order to boost its power or energy.
waterfall(瀧)
When seeing a massive waterfall, ancient people imagined a majestic dragon charging up into the sky, viewing it as the very avatar of a god. This character consists of two parts, beautifully embedding the symbol of that dragon on the right side.
whirlpool(渦)
float(浮)
On the right side of this character, you can see a hand gently cradling a baby, while the left side shows splashes of water. This beautifully suggests that the fluid motion of holding a baby close resembles the graceful stroke of a swimming hand. Therefore, this character captures that very essence to mean ‘float’.
deep(沈)
On the left side of this figure, you can see a splash, which represents water. And on the right… what do you think it is? It is a grim depiction of a person with a heavy object, like a stone or iron, fastened around their neck. This visualizes a severe ancient penalty or ritual where someone was weighted down and cast into the water. Therefore, this character carries the meaning of ‘sink’ or ‘submerge’.
sake(酒)
The word for this drink has already become part of the English language. In this figure, you can see a traditional sake cask on the right, and the symbol for water on the left. Therefore, this character means exactly that.