Kanji Cruncher: Grade 1, Lesson 13

Good morning, Japanese learners! Welcome to this week's Friday edition of Kanji Cruncher! Today we've got a special guest joining us: my cousin, Lucy! Lucy is an avid fan of anime and Japanese culture, and she's got a growing collection of only the best manga– some of which are from Shonen Jump! This is her first time learning kanji meanings, and she's so creative that we're bound to come up with some good stories today.

Today's Kanji:

玉 赤 青 森 白

行きましょう! Click the link to see the lesson!

玉
Meaning: jewel
Lucy noticed this one looks like a crown on its side. Maybe it's a king's crown with a big jade jewel in it!

Here's mine: The king loves his favorite jewel so much, he carries it with him everywhere.

     Radicals:
     王 king, jade


赤
Meaning: red
Lucy has decided this one is a red tree growing up from the soil. See the roots reaching deep below the surface?

To me, this one looks like a kooky alien creature from Mars. His skin is bright red, just like the soil of his home planet.

     Radical:
     土 soil


青
Meaning: blue
Lucy got super clever with this one. Since the radical for "moon" is underneath the "soil" radical, it's like when the moon is on the other side of the blue earth.

Here's mine: The moonlight only looks blue from underground.

And here's one we collaborated on: The way the blue moonlight reflects off the shining ballroom dance floor makes it look like it comes from underground. That one's a bit of a stretch, maybe, but isn't it a vivid mental picture? We're kind of in love with the aesthetic.

     Radical:
     月 moon
     二 two
     土 soil
     亠 (kettle lid radical)


森
Meaning: forest
Here's a freebie. Lucy and I agree: this one is too easy because it looks like a forest of three trees!

     Radical:
     木 tree


白
Meaning: white
Lucy says this kanji looks just like the white bookcase in her bedroom, and look! There's even her amazing Godzilla figurine sitting up on top! This is a perfect example of personalizing kanji stories. Don't be afraid to be creative and use what you know!

My story is cute too, but not as personal: The sun is so blindingly white, the 日 kanji can't contain it!

     (Unofficial) radical:
     日 sun (This radical does not actually belong to the kanji 白, but it looks just like it and we can use it to remember the meaning.)


Great job today, and let's give a special thanks to today's guest, Lucy!

またね!
-Kitty