Katō regards 音 and 言 (see ‘word’, 118) as having been used interchangeably in ancient times, though Karlgren treats them as having been separate. References: BK1957:173, 80; KJ1970:68; SS1984:68. We suggest taking 立 as ‘rising’ 77 and 日 as ‘sun’ 66.
Mnemonic: SOUND OF THE RISING SUN
7
L5
下
KA, GE, shita, moto, shimo, sageru, oriru, kudasaru
under, lower
3 strokes
下品 GEHIN vulgarity
低下 TEIKA decrease
川下 kawashimo downstream
OBI . Mizukami suggests the curve was to help distinguish this character from early forms of 二 65 (‘two’). At some point, a vertical stroke was added beneath the longer horizontal. Qiu feels this change was also for graphic distinction – in this case from the early forms of 上 39 (‘above’), which was written with a short horizontal stroke over a longer one to represent ‘go up, above’. Shirakawa takes the longer horizontal line in early forms as depicting the palm of the hand (in profile). References: BK1957:28; QX2000:46; MS1983:151; SS1984:69.
Mnemonic: T-BAR WITH DROOPY LOWER HANDLE UNDERNEATH
8
L5
火
KA, hi
fire
4 strokes
火曜日 KAYŌbi Tuesday
火山 KAZAN volcano
火花 hibana spark
OBI shows it to be based on a stylized sketch of a burning fire. As a lower determinative / element, it typically occurs as 灬. References: SS1984:70; KJ1970:953-4.
Mnemonic: FLAMES OF FIRE
9
L4
花
KA, hana
flower, blossom
7 strokes
花弁 KABEN petal
花見 hanami blossom viewing
花火 hanabi fireworks
A late character. The top element is the typical abbreviation 艹 of the ‘plant’ determinative 艸 53 (itself based on a pictograph of plants growing), while the lower element 化 ‘change’ (see 258), serves as phonetic (associated sense here disputed), and is a pointer to the reading, which in modern Sino-Japanese is KA (also a phonetic indicator in 貨 KA 455, etc.). According to Shirakawa, the graph 花 was probably not devised in China until the early 5th century AD; Katō gives a wider timeframe, viz the Six Dynasties period (ca. 222-589AD). References: SS1984:72; KJ1970:315.
Mnemonic: FLOWERS BLOSSOM WHEN PLANTS CHANGE
10
L3
貝
kai
shell, shellfish
7 strokes
帆立貝 hotategai scallop
貝殻 kaigara seashell
貝類 kaiRUI shellfish
OBI forms indicate that this is based on the pictograph of a bivalve shell . In ancient times, shells were used as currency in China, and so as a component in more complex characters 貝 often serves a semantic role to indicate wealth, e.g. 財 712 ‘wealth, assets’. MR2007:347; KJ1970:759-60. Suggest remembering by using 目 76 ‘eye’.
Mnemonic: SHELLFISH LOOKS LIKE AN EYE WITH FEELERS
11
L5
学
GAKU, manabu
learning
8 strokes
学校 GAKKŌ school
化学 KAGAKU chemistry
学者 GAKUSHA scholar
OBI forms traditional (Kangxi) form 學. It has four elements, which on the basis of OBI and bronze forms Shirakawa takes as 爻冖子, signifying crossbeams, roof, right and left hands/help, and child respectively. The earliest forms (OBI) all omit the last of these elements, but the basic meaning represented appears to be a building whose purpose was to help people in some way. Later forms are then more specific, referring to children (see 27). SS1984:110; KJ1970:171-2; MM1993:102. We suggest using ‘child’ 子 27.
Mnemonic: CHILD LEARNS UNDER ORNATE ROOF
12
L5
気
KI, KE
spirit
6 strokes
気分 KIBUN mood
天気 TENKI weather
電気 DENKI electricity
OBI ; seal ; traditional 氣. According to Qiu, the traditional form 氣 was used from the Han dynasty onwards for 气 ‘vapor’, but this was in fact a loan use, as 氣 is in origin a separate graph devised to write another word (a near-homophone of 气 in early Chinese) meaning ‘give rice (or other food) as a gift’. Based on the above, the block script equivalent of the OBI form for 気 should be 气, not 氣. The more familiar shape 気 is probably based on a cursive form of 氣; 气 is standard in modern PRC usage. See also 乞 1346 ‘ask for, beg’. QX2000:330; MS1995:v2:726-8; KJ1970:247,230; OT1968:552; FC1974:v1:1245-7.
Mnemonic: SPIRIT-LIKE VAPORS OVER A CROSS
13
L5
九
KYŪ, KU, kokono-
nine
2 strokes
十九 JŪKYŪ nineteen
九日 kokonoka ninth day
九月 KUGATSU September
Etymology unclear. One earlier form is . On the basis of the corresponding ancient forms, assessed variously as representing the shapes of dragons (Shirakawa), or as the shape of an elbow used when counting with one arm (Katō), or as a loaned character (Qiu, Schuessler). SS1984:170; TS2010:25; KJ1970:49; QX2000:32; AS2007:320. We suggest remembering it as a hook indicating the removal of one from ‘ten’ 十 35.
Mnemonic: SOMETHING HOOKED AWAY FROM TEN LEAVES NINE
