Confusing Kanji #1 Flashcards
杭
くい
stake, post, pile
枕
まくら
pillow
精
セイ ショウ spirit
しらげる polish rice
精神 せいしん
This Kanji originally depicted the polishing (refining) of white rice, but soon gained the meaning of “essence” (i.e. the refined version of something). It might have gained the meaning of spirit through Daoism. According to the Neiye (內業), Jing (精) - essence - is a highly concentrated form of Qi (氣、気 in modern Japanese):
精也者氣之精也
That which is known as essence (精) is the essence of Qi
情
ジョウ feelings
なさ・け sympathy
清
セイ clean, pure
シン Qing Dynasty
きよ・い clean, pure
請
セイ petition, solicit
ショウ invite (請じる)
こ・う beg, appeal
う・け
請け合う undertake; promise, assure
晴
セイ
は・れる clear up (e.g. the sky)
晴雨 good or bad weather
晴雨計 barometer (also 気圧計)
偶
グウ
- Accidentally
- A couple, same kind
- Even number
隅
グウ
すみ
corner
遇
グウ
あ・う (rare)
- Encounter
- Reception, treatment
隔
カク isolate; every alternate; distance
へだ・てる isolate
隔壁 partition wall
隔月 every other/alternate month
遠隔 distant, remote
融
ユウ
と・ける
melt, dissolve
融合 ゆうごう fusion, merger
触
ショク
さわ・る
ふれ・る
touch, contact
隶
extend hand and grasp
RTK mnemonic: this shows a rake and a soap water (RTK calls it rice).
The RTK keyword is: sieve
泰
peaceful, Thailand
The radical 𡗗 (bonsai in RTK) originally comes from simplification of multiple different pictographic sources, but it’s usually a contraction of having two hands on both sides of the Kanji something on top (usually being grasped by both hands)
clasping hands + soap water
泰国 Thailand (usually written タイ)
泰然 calm, composed
