土 – Kanji Japan

2026年11月4日2026年11月4日

craft(藝)

This kanji is composed of three elements: the ‘plant’ radical at the top left, the ‘soil’ symbol below it, and a kneeling figure on the right using both hands to plant a seedling into the earth. Originally, the character meant ‘to plant’ or ‘to cultivate.’ By metaphorical extension, cultivating plants came to represent nurturing one’s own talents, evolving into the meanings of ‘skill,’ ‘craft,’ and ‘the arts.’

Words & Phrases

藝術（geijutsu):the arts
芸者（geisha):A woman trained in traditional Japanese arts, dance, and music

2026年10月30日2026年10月30日

village(里)

This kanji consists of two parts: the ‘rice field’ radical at the top and ‘earth’ or ‘soil’ at the bottom. Together, it originally depicted a plot of arable land where people gathered to farm and settle. Because of this, the character came to mean a ‘village,’ ‘hamlet,’ or ‘hometown,’ and was later also used as a traditional unit of distance.

Words & Phrases

里心（satogokoro):A sentimental yearning for one’s birthplace or the place one used to call home.
里山（satoyama):Woodlands and gentle hills adjacent to villages that are deeply connected to everyday living.

2026年10月30日2026年10月30日

logic(理)

This kanji combines the ‘jade’ radical on the left with an element on the right signifying orderly lines and division. Together, it originally depicted carving jade along its natural grain. Following this natural grain came to symbolize following universal truth, giving the kanji its meanings of ‘reason,’ ‘principle,’ and ‘logic.’

Words & Phrases

理想（risou):The supreme or most desirable state that one seeks and strives for in things.
理念（rinen）:A core philosophy of how things should be.
理由（riyuu）:The reasons, process, or logical sequence of how things came to be.
理論（riron）:The process of finding patterns and unity across separate events to construct a logically unified system.

2026年10月13日2026年10月20日

quantity(量)

This kanji is said to depict filling a watering container to store water in a tank at the bottom. Because of this, the kanji came to mean measuring something. Over time, its meaning expanded to express quantity or amount.

quality(質)

2026年10月3日2026年10月3日

place(場)

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.