Radicals Level 5

Question 1

斤

Answer 1

Axe

This is a strange looking axe, I know. But think of it this way: the letter “T” is in the cliff. What is the “T”? Of course it has to be Mr. T, who’s super awesome. Think of Mr. T wielding a terrifying axe, running after you screaming, “I pity the fool!” while trying to chop you down. That makes for a pretty terrifying axe.

Question 2

青

Answer 2

Blue

You have life on top of the moon (ignore that life is missing its little slide on the left side). What would life on the moon look like? Well, first of all, they have no air, so they probably look pretty blue from asphyxiation. When you meet them, it turns out you’re right. They’re a civilization of blue people. Imagine them all living up there, being blue and Smurfy.

Question 3

耂

Answer 3

Coffin

See the slide going into the dirt? That’s where they throw your body when you die. It’s actually a coffin!

Question 4

色

Answer 4

Color

The bed you get in prison is the only thing with color you’ll see while you’re there. Picture a dark, dank cell. Maybe a toilet too. Now picture a bright, colorful bed against the wall. This is the only joy you have.

Question 5

羽

Answer 5

Feathers

This radical already looks like a pair of wings, right? What are on wings? Well, usually lots of feathers.

Question 6

行

Answer 6

Go

You have the radicals for loiter, two, and barb. Someone who uses two barbs on you while you’re loitering really wants you to GO!! GO on, stop loitering outside of my convenience store, ya dang kids!

Question 7

金

Answer 7

Gold

There’s two sets of spikes underneath that hat. It’s actually a trap, to prevent anyone from coming in and stealing your gold. Why else would you make a trap? Everyone likes to protect their gold.

Question 8

冫

Answer 8

Ice

Remember the radical for drop (of liquid)? This is two drops instead of one. When you see two drops, you should think, “the next stage of water.” What is the next stage? Why, that is ice.

Question 9

乍

Answer 9

Key

This is a very oddly shaped key, but it’s a key nonetheless.

Question 10

哀

The most bottom part. (Kanji: Pathetic)

Answer 10

Kick

These are legs that are bending funny. They’re bending so they can kick you! Imagine someone doing a flying kick at you. Look at their legs and, ah yes, it looks just like this!

Question 11

开

Answer 11

Lantern

Think of an old-style lantern. It’s on top of a few legs (you can only see two from this angle) and it’s in a box shaped holder at the top. You can imagine these lining the streets before electricity, right? That’s why this radical is a lantern.

Question 12

可

Answer 12

Lip Ring

There’s something hooked going into a mouth. Rather than a hook, though, it’s a lip ring. They used to use fish hooks and nails in the old days. (Glad we don’t live in those times anymore!)

Question 13

肉

Answer 13

Meat

Inside your head, you can only think about people, people, and more people. This is bad, because really all you want is their meat, because you’re some kind of sick cannibal… you monster. When you think of “people” in your head, you’re really just thinking about more meat you can eat.

Question 14

会

Answer 14

Meet

Under the hat there are two people meeting in private. Look at them huddled up in there. They must have a reason to want to meet in such a private place, but that’s not for you to judge. Maybe next time you have to meet with someone you’ll hide under a hat with them too.

Question 15

冋

Answer 15

Mustache

See the mustache going around the mouth? I wish I could grow a sweet mustache like this.

Question 16

雨

Answer 16

Rain

The towel is getting soaked with drops of liquid. That’s because it’s raining. Get your towels and other clothes inside before they get soaked through from this rain!

Question 17

走

Answer 17

Run

See the person running? Don’t confuse this with foot (足), though. The head is just a streak because this person is running so fast.

Question 18

言

Answer 18

Say

There are a bunch of sound waves coming out of a mouth. Those waves represent the things you say.

Question 19

⻌

Answer 19

Scooter

This radical is a scooter. See the handlebars and the little light? And there’s a platform at the bottom you can stand or sit on (if it’s one of those nice motorized ones).

Question 20

自

Answer 20

Self

That little fleck / drop on your eye is what makes you unique. It’s what makes you your self. It’s you, you know?

Question 21

氵

Answer 21

Tsunami

You’ve seen one drop (丶), but what happens when you triple this and have three drops, which happens to be the maximum number of drops you can have? You end up with a devastating tsunami, because there’s too much water and nowhere for it to go. Just think of this as a lot of water. When you have a lot of water, you have a tsunami.

Question 22

廾

Answer 22

Twenty

You have 十 plus 十… what do you get when you add these two kanji together? You get twenty.

Question 23

学

The top part of the kanji. (Kanji: Study)

Answer 23

Viking

This is a roof with extra spikes / horns on it. Who was famous for having spiked roofs, spiked helmets, spiked boats?! The Vikings! That’s why this is the Viking radical.

Question 24

里

Answer 24

Village

This is a rice paddy with dirt around it. This is the perfect place to set up a village. You have a place to farm and some dirt to live on. What else could you need?

Question 25

西

Answer 25

West

You have pi coming out of a mouth. “3.14,” it says. We must take the secret of the circle with us, away from here. We must go to a magical place where nobody will persecute us for our math… a place to the West!

Question 26

毋

Answer 26

Window

See the criss-cross in the pseudo-square shape? That’s the frames of a big window you can look out of. It’s not perfectly shaped like a rice field, it’s more artistic. That’s why this is a window and 田 is not.

Question 27

ヨ

Answer 27

Wolverine

You know Wolverine from the X-Men? He has three claws that come out of his hand whenever he needs to fight, not at all unlike the radical you see here.