Level 16-2

Question 1

園

Answer 1

Garden
park
On’Yomi:
えん
Kun’Yomi:
None

Meaning Mnemonic
You’re examining the mouth of a zombie. You look inside with a microscope, and you’re surprised to see a little garden growing in there.

This also means park, too. If you think about it, parks are like cool gardens, especially when you think about Chinese and Japanese gardens. They’re so neat and park-like, ammiright?
Additional Info:
There’s everything! It’s just on a miniature scale. So, now you have to figure out why there’s a garden growing in a zombie’s mouth… so strange.

Reading Mnemonic
Go through the things in this zombie mouth garden. There’s all the normal stuff, like tomatoes, lettuce, daikon, etc., but one thing that surprises you is the tree ents growing in there. He’s growing young ents somehow, even though the ent wives have all supposedly disappeared!
Additional Info:
Of course, you’ll need to know what an ent is to make sense of this, so if you don’t, do a little research (hint: it’s a Lord Of The Rings thing - they’re tree people).

Question 2

府

Answer 2

Government
N/A
On’Yomi:
ふ
Kun’Yomi:
None

Meaning Mnemonic
You can glue a mullet on to avoid the government. A mullet is a great disguise when you are being pursued by government agents and all you have to do is just glue it right on. Mullets – the perfect disguise.
Additional Info:
Just imagine yourself with a mullet. You look silly. Now imagine yourself in a high action spy movie (with a mullet) trying to evade government agents.

Reading Mnemonic
You’re fooling (ふ) the government by looking like a silly fool with a mullet. The government will never realize you are who you really are. You’ve really got them fooled.
Additional Info:
You can fool anyone with your new mullet disguise, government agents or otherwise. Even your own mother wouldn’t recognize you.

Question 3

険

Answer 3

Risky
steep
On’Yomi:
けん
Kun’Yomi:
けわ.しい

Meaning Mnemonic
To butcher a squid is quite risky. It has a beak and tentacles, and they can grab you and tear you apart.
Additional Info:
Imagine yourself being tasked with the job of butchering a live giant squid. You jump in and begin to butcher, but it’s too strong for you. This was so risky, not to mention you decided to butcher it on a slope, so you and the squid are rolling down the slope with knives flying everywhere.

Reading Mnemonic
Even though it’s risky, Ken (けん) from Street Fighter climbs up the steep slope to punch you out for butchering his best friend, the squid. Ken has known this squid all his life and they have bonded over the years. As such, Ken is not happy with you for butchering it.
Additional Info:
Picture Ken from Street Fighter climbing up this steep slope to knock you out. You’re scared and you should be. Ken punches you right in the mouth and you die.

Question 4

面

Answer 4

Surface
face
On’Yomi:
めん
Kun’Yomi:
None

Meaning Mnemonic
Every robot has a surface. Then, when you get under the surface you have its innards. The surface is what’s scary, though, making them impervious to your attacks. This kanji also means face, though more like “the face of the wall” or something.
Additional Info:
Try punching the surface of this robot. Bam! Doesn’t work.

Reading Mnemonic
Are robots men (めん)? No, they are machines. They may have surface area shaped like a humans, but they are not men (or women for that matter). They are made of nuts and bolts and such.
Additional Info:
Think back to the sci-fi movies you have seen with robots. Many robots want to become like men, or conquer men. Just think of those conquering robots and their faces.