タグ: 我

投稿日:

reason together(議)

This kanji consists of two parts. On the left is the ‘word’ radical, which originally represented a sacred oath sworn before the gods—one so absolute that breaking it brought punishment by the sword. 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 ‘to reason together’ or ‘to discuss in accordance with moral principles.’

Words & Phrases

  • 議会（gikai）:The Diet
  • 議題（gidai）:agenda

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投稿日:

I（我）

This kanji originally depicted a weapon with a large, curved saw or serrated blade. Meanwhile, ancient Chinese had a word meaning ‘I’ or ‘me’ that shared the exact same pronunciation. Because of this phonetic match, people began borrowing this character to write ‘I.’ Over time, its original meaning of a bladed weapon faded, and the kanji came to mean exclusively ‘I’ or ‘myself’ when used as a standalone word.

Words & Phrases

  • 我執（gashuu）:attachment to the self / ego-attachment
  • 我慢（gaman):patience,endurance,tolerance
  • 我田引水（gaden insui）:draw water to one’s own mill

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