Kanji - Level 3 - Kanji Flashcards
矢
Arrow
Radicals: 矢 arrow
The arrow radical and the arrow kanji are the same. Sort of a “straight” shot to memorizing this kanji, you know?
Reading: や
To remember the reading や we use the word “Yankees” (like the evil baseball team, go M’s!).
What is this arrow doing? It’s following around all the Yankee (や) baseball players, stalking them, waiting to make its move (I’ll let you decide what its “move” is).
市
City
Radicals: 亠 lid + 巾 towel
You lift the lid off a manhole and there’s a towel with the name of a city on it.
Reading: し
This city must have a lot of sheep (し) because there is a sheep monogram on the towel. It’s the sheep city.
牛
Cow
Radicals: 牛 cow
The radical and the kanji for cow are exactly the same! That makes it easy to remember, so long as you know your radicals well enough.
Reading: ぎゅう
Have you ever heard of わぎゅう beef? That ぎゅう is this ぎゅう.
切
Cut
Radicals: 七 seven + 刀 sword
If you have seven swords, there’s only so much you can do with them. The main thing? Probably using them to cut something.
Reading: せつ
Because having seven swords for yourself is too much, you decide to take the swords and divide them up amongst pairs of people. You cut them into pairs, and give sets (せつ) to everyone who needs them in the village.
方
Direction
Radicals: 方 direction
The radical and the kanji for direction are the same! Huzzah!
There is also another meaning too, though. This can also mean way as well. Think of it this way: When you move in one direction in your life, you are developing your own way. “The way of [your name here].”
Reading: ほう
What direction do you always know? Which direction do you always want to go? Home (ほう). Something about your home always stays with you, no matter how far away you go. So if you’re lost and you don’t know which direction to go, just think of home!
戸
Door
Radicals: 戸 door
The radical and the kanji for door are the same!
Reading: と
You open the door and immediately get it closed back on your toe (と), literally causing your toe to explode.
太
Fat
Radicals: 大 big + 丶drop
You have a big person here, with an extra drop of something below their thigh, hanging down. That’s fat right there. This person has fat hanging off their fat.
Reading: たい, た
This fat person also has a fat tie (たい). It’s really thick and luxurious. Imagine them tying their lovely fat tie.
父
Father
Radicals: 父 father
The radical and the kanji for father are the same.
Reading: ちち, とう
Think about your father laughing like this: ちちちちちちちち〜！
少
Few
Radicals: 小 small +丿slide
You have a small slide. The thing about small slides is that they can only fit a few people at a time.
Reading: しょう
Why is there a little traffic jam on the slide? Because the Shougun (しょう) is using the slide and he loves little things. He’s forcing everyone to stop and watch, even though there are people backed up behind him. How inconsiderate.
友
Friend
Radicals: ナ narwhal + 又 stool
A narwhal sitting on a stool is your friend.
Reading: ゆう
“Hi friend,” says the narwhal. “I must warn you about all the youths.” (ゆう)
毛
Fur
Radicals: 毛 fur
Fur and fur are the same as each other, so the meaning of this kanji should be simple. This can also mean hair, too, though more like furry hair.
Reading: もう
With fur, wisp your imagination to a land where there are stalks of fur all around, just like a big tall grassy field (except instead of grass, it’s fur). You’re surrounded by the black fur, the wind is blowing. Imagine yourself touching the long fur and smelling it. What does it feel / smell like? Now it’s time to get rid of it. There’s just too much hair! To get rid of it, you’ll need to mow (もう) it down with a lawn mower. Imagine yourself starting up the lawn mower, and taking it around, mowing down the hair. Hear the sound of the mower in your head (they’re loud and distinct). The important thing is to imagine yourself mowing everything. Key is to think “fur → In the fur → getting rid of the fur → mow the fur,” in that order. That’ll get you to mow, which will help you to remember the on’yomi.
半
Half
Radicals: ⺌ triceratops + 干 dry
A triceratops is lying out to dry. But it’s so big, and it’s laying on its side, so only half of it gets dry.
Reading: はん
“You’re half wet and half dry! I will cut you in half with my laser blaster so you’re proper again,” a voice says. It is Han Solo (はん), the anti-establishment guy who hates when things aren’t even.
心
Heart
Radicals: 心 heart
The radical heart and the kanji heart are the same. Rejoice and let your heart be free!
Reading: しん
The heart, where is it stored in your body? Most people thought it was in the chest, but in reality, your heart is stored in your shin (しん).
内
Inside
Radicals: 冂 head + 人 person
There’s a person inside your head.
Reading: ない
You know this kanji means inside, so you can keep thinking about the person that’s inside you, running around. You finally discover him, and try to take him out, but before you can, he pulls out a knife (ない) and threatens to cut you if you do anything irrational.
生
Life
Radicals: 生 life
The life radical and the life kanji are the same, so hopefully you now just know them both.
Reading: せい, しょう
You can save life or take it away with your new saber (せい). This is the saber you got from doing the correct thing (remember?), and now you need to figure out how to use it with this life. So what do you do?
