Level 11-1 Flashcards
争
Conflict
N/A
On’Yomi:
そう
Kun’Yomi:
あらそ.う
Meaning Mnemonic
If you keep a wolverine in a small enclosure with barbs, you’re likely to get into a conflict with animal rights groups. Wolverines aren’t meant to be kept as pets, especially not in barbed enclosures. There’s going to be some sort of conflict here, and animal activist groups are not going to be happy with you.
Additional Info:
Imagine you’re the wolverine in this barbed enclosure. There’s hardly enough room for you to even turn around in here. The barbs keep poking you as well. Have you ever ran into a barbed wire fence? It’s not pleasant.
Reading Mnemonic
When the wolverine cuts itself on the barbed enclosure (which it will inevitably do at some point), you’re going to have to sew (そう) up its wound to keep it from dying. It might be a bit of a conflict getting the wolverine to stay still while you sew up the wound, but it needs to be done.
Additional Info:
Pretend you’re the wolverine once again. You’re already in pain from gouging yourself on the barbed enclosure, and now you’re getting sewn up with a needle and thread! When will the agony end?
仲
Relationship
N/A
On’Yomi:
ちゅう
Kun’Yomi:
なか
Meaning Mnemonic
A middle of the road leader is likely to have an average relationship with everyone. He doesn’t really take sides in matters, and just stays in the middle. This makes him seem like sort of a wishy washy people pleaser, and as such his relationships with people are rarely anything more than average.
Additional Info:
I’m sure you’ve heard of “flip-floppers” in politics, or people who try and take both sides of an issue, always staying in the middle ground and never really taking a stand. Imagine one of these people to represent this kanji.
Reading Mnemonic
Since this guy doesn’t really have a strong opinion on anything, you find yourself wondering what’s going on in his head. You wish there was a door knocker (なか) on his forehead so you could use the knocker to see if anyone’s home. You could knock and ask why he’s being such a middle of the road leader and give him suggestions about how he could grow a backbone and better his relationships with people.
Additional Info:
Imagine your favorite flip-flopper from before. Now imagine that there’s a knocker on his forehead and you get to knock that knocker as hard as you like. Sounds like fun, doesn’t it? Imagine yourself doing this.
伝
Transmit
tell
On’Yomi:
でん
Kun’Yomi:
つた
Meaning Mnemonic
A fat leader with huge man boobs can transmit just the same sense of authority as a fit and in shape leader. regardless of the leader’s looks, as long as he does his job well, he will be respected.
Additional Info:
Imagine this fat leader walking about with his man boobs. See them jiggle and sway back and forth like water balloons.
Reading Mnemonic
Actually, the reason this man boob leader got elected to be a leader was because he was a star (つた) sumo wrestler. Sumo wrestlers can actually transmit a lot of authority and are well respected, so this leader and his position make a lot of sense. This leader actually settles conflicts with other government officials by sumo wrestling.
Additional Info:
Imagine this sumo star leader settling a conflict with another government official by sumo wrestling. Since he is a star sumo wrestler, he wins easily. What a star!
位
Rank
N/A
On’Yomi:
い
Kun’Yomi:
くらい
Meaning Mnemonic
A leader stands at the highest rank in an organization. The leader is of the highest rank and stands about all others.
Additional Info:
Picture this great leader. Imagine him actually standing on the shoulders of his supporters who are a lower rank than he is. He’s standing atop this great pyramid as a fearless leader.
Reading Mnemonic
This great leader is actually the leader of the boy scouts. And as we all know, the highest rank in boy scouts is the rank of eagle (い) scout. This great leader has attained the rank of eagle scout and stands above all other scouts.
Additional Info:
Picture the same ranking pyramid from before, only all the members are boy scouts, and the leader at the top is an eagle. Hear the piercing screech of the eagle with your ears.
低
Low
N/A
On’Yomi:
てい
Kun’Yomi:
ひく.い
Meaning Mnemonic
A leader who is at a “duck at ground” level is down pretty low. Ducks are short, after all.
Additional Info:
Imagine yourself trying to get to the height of a duck. Nice and low.
Reading Mnemonic
You know what else makes you get low to the ground? Having a sweet dance party (てい). Errbody get low, yo. A dance party is the best kind of party to encourage others to get lowww.
Additional Info:
You know that song Get Low with Lil Jon? To the windowww, to the wall! Of course you know it. You’ve probably heard it many times in the past at parties. Remember that song in your head and think of it when you see this kanji.
便
Convenience
convenient
On’Yomi:
べん
Kun’Yomi:
たよ.*
Meaning Mnemonic
A leader stands upon the ground of the rice paddy. He is searching for treasure. It is said that this treasure here in this rice field will make things much easier for the leader (that’s what leaders really want, after all). If he gets this treasure, it will be a great convenience for him, because convenience is everything when you’re the leader.
Additional Info:
Imagine the leader looking around the rice paddy. He keeps saying, “Ugh, it would be convenient if I didn’t have to walk around out here looking for the treasure that’s going to make things more convenient for me. Ugh.” Go ahead and say this phrase out loud, too, pretending to be the leader in the rice paddy. Feel the cold and the wet, making it less convenient for you.
Reading Mnemonic
He finds a place to dig in the ground. It looks like there’s some fresh dirt here. Finally, the treasure of convenience that will make this leader’s life so much easier. He digs into the ground and pulls out a box. When he opens it, he finds out it’s a bento (べん). My god, he thinks. This really will make my life more convenient. My people can take their lunches with them now instead of coming back to base to eat, which will waste way less time!
Additional Info:
Feel the happiness that the leader would feel at this revelation. It will make everything much more convenient for him, since he’s not the one doing all the manual labor. He won’t have to eat out of a bento, that’s for sure.
働
Work
labor, labour
On’Yomi:
どう
Kun’Yomi:
はたら.*
Meaning Mnemonic
A leader with a lot of power can move heavy things with hardly any work. By power, I mean a lot of strength because this leader is very strong and moving heavy things is no problem for him. His power allows the leader to move heavy things with little to no work at all.
Additional Info:
Picture this powerful leader, bare chested with a crown on his head. His muscles are bulging as he picks up heavy things and casually tosses them aside. How does he maintain so many muscles?
Reading Mnemonic
Where does this leader’s power come from? Doughnuts (どう). He eats nothing but doughnuts. He has a special crew of bakers that work for him in his castle and they work all day to make the leader doughnuts of power. They are imbued with many secret ingredients that give the leader the power to move anything, no matter how heavy it is.
Additional Info:
Picture yourself eating one of these power doughnuts. It’s delicious. Doughnuts are fantastic. Taste the fresh doughnut in your mouth as it crumbles and melts on your tongue. It’s the best doughnut you’ve ever had.
初
First
N/A
On’Yomi:
しょ
Kun’Yomi:
はじ.*
Meaning Mnemonic
A pelican wielding a sword would be the first bird warrior in all of history. Never before has a pelican, let alone a bird, wielded a sword. This pelican is the first of its kind.
Additional Info:
I’m sure you know what a pelican looks like, so I’m sure you can picture what this bird would look like brandishing a sword. Pretty menacing, no? Imagine this pelican squawking and waddling around waving a sword every which way, feathers flying in the wind.
Reading Mnemonic
Since this sword wielding pelican is the first of its kind, it became quite famous. So famous that the pelican has become part of a traveling circus show (しょ). People come from miles around to see the show and the sword wielding pelican. He’s kind of a big deal.
Additional Info:
Have you seen a circus show before? Picture yourself at that time and imagine yourself seeing a sword wielding pelican as part of that show. It’s the first time you’ve ever seen something like this so it’s quite impressive.
別
Separate
N/A
On’Yomi:
べつ
Kun’Yomi:
わか.*
Meaning Mnemonic
If you eat a mouthful of ribs using a sword to separate the meat from the rib bones, it’s a bit overkill. To get these ribs from the plate to your mouth, a knife would work just fine, you really don’t need a sword. Heck, you could probably even separate the meat from the ribs with your hands alone.
Additional Info:
Imagine trying to eat a slab of ribs using a sword. It would be pretty awkward, right? You really don’t need that much blade to separate the meat from the rib bones. It’s ridiculous.
Reading Mnemonic
Because this way of eating ribs is so ridiculous, one of your friends bets you (べつ) can’t eat a whole plate using nothing but the sword to separate and eat the ribs. This friend bets you to do a lot of things, but this has to be the most silly bet he’s ever made.
Additional Info:
How terrifying would it be cutting and skewering your rib meat with a sword and then eating from it. I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t want the blade of a sword anywhere near my mouth, no matter how much the bet was for. Swords are sharp, bet or no bet.
利
Profit
benefit, advantage
On’Yomi:
り
Kun’Yomi:
き.く
Meaning Mnemonic
Selling pine smoked ribs is a great way to make a profit. People love the smell and taste of pine, so if you sold ribs smoked over pine wood, you’d be sure to turn a quick profit in the ribs business.
Additional Info:
Imagine smelling the smell of a pine tree. Now imagine smelling the smell or fresh ribs together with the smell of pine. Is it making your mouth water?
Reading Mnemonic
You know what goes great with pine smoked ribs? Reese’s (り) Pieces. The chocolate and peanut butter from the Reese’s Pieces candy pairs perfectly with the woody pine smoked rib meat. Instant profit.
Additional Info:
Picture yourself eating a pine smoked slab of ribs with Reese’s Pieces sprinkled on top. Imagine its chocolately, peanut buttery, piney, meaty taste in your mouth. Finger lickin’ good.
功
Achievement
accomplishment
On’Yomi:
こう
Kun’Yomi:
None
Meaning Mnemonic
Completing a construction project using power tools is a great achievement. Construction projects aren’t always easy, even with power tools, but regardless, a job well done is a job well done. You should be proud of your achievement.
Additional Info:
I’m sure you’ve used or at least have seen someone use power tools before. Imagine constructing an entire house all by yourself using these power tools. You’d probably feel pretty powerful. A deity of construction. Your achievement knows no equal.
Reading Mnemonic
Who are you? You are the mighty and powerful こういち, master of all construction and power equipment. You yourself are a grand achievement, こういち. Very mighty indeed.
Additional Info:
Picture こういち. Now picture こういち shirtless in a shiny yellow construction hat. Looks pretty powerful doesn’t he? He’s holding a power tool in one hand and your love and affection in the other. He’s majestic.
努
Toil
N/A
On’Yomi:
ど
Kun’Yomi:
つと.める
Meaning Mnemonic
A woman of power sits on a stool while her servants toil away in the kitchen. They are toiling away preparing a feast for this woman of power while she kicks back on her cozy stool. She’s a queen and deserves to be pampered.
Additional Info:
Imagine you are in a position of power and can relax on a stool while your minions toil away in the kitchen to prepare you a feast. It’s good to have money! You’ve got it made. Imagine how smug you feel.
Reading Mnemonic
The servants are making lots of food for you and your dog (ど). You’re really hungry, so you encourage your minions to toil away faster so that you might feast a bit sooner.
Additional Info:
Imagine eating all this food with your dog. Hear your dog barking as it woofs up the food next to you as you do the same.
労
Labor
labour
On’Yomi:
ろう
Kun’Yomi:
None
Meaning Mnemonic
A Viking in a position of power does not need to labor in the fields. Labor is for the weak! A Viking of power takes what he wants, and need not labor for it. A powerful Viking plunders all and takes what he wants!
Additional Info:
Imagine yourself as a powerful Viking. You have the power to take anything you want, pillaging and plundering to your heart’s content. Imagine all the things you would acquire with this sort of power.
Reading Mnemonic
One of the items you have pillaged is a rowboat (ろう). Lots of labor went into making it, so you decided to make it yours. You don’t even like rowboats; you just wanted to have it for the sake of having it.
Additional Info:
Picture yourself riding in a rowboat, the fresh air in your hair and the sound of water breaking on the boat. It’s delightful.
味
Flavor
taste, flavour
On’Yomi:
み
Kun’Yomi:
あじ
Meaning Mnemonic
What is the jet of your mouth? It’s flavor. It’s what shoots your mouth off, which explains why it hurts so much when you eat something awesome.
Additional Info:
Imagine how your favorite food tastes. Imagine a jet taking off in your mouth because of it.
Reading Mnemonic
And what has more flavor than a big slab of meat (み)? You love meat and its flavor nearly as much as you love the flavor of this juice. So many good things to put in your mouth!
Additional Info:
Of course, if you’re vegetarian imagine the flavor of the meat being terrible. Up to you. Make the mnemonic work for your lifestyle.
好
Like
N/A
On’Yomi:
こう
Kun’Yomi:
す.き, この.む
Meaning Mnemonic
A woman and a child. What is there not to like about these kinds of people?
Additional Info:
Imagine yourself liking women and children. They’re nice folk, after all.
Reading Mnemonic
Look at the child again. This child is こういち, and you are the woman in charge of protecting him. You like こういち. He is your cub and you must protect him, just like a mother bear would.
Additional Info:
Imagine こういち. Now imagine how much love and adoration you have for this man-child. Use those incredibly strong feelings of devotion to remember this kanji and its reading.
