Remembering the Kanji 1 - James Heisig

Part 1 - Stories

Lesson 1

Each kanji in this lesson is provided with a single key word to represent the basic meaning.

Some of these characters also serve later as primitive elements to help form other kanji. It is good to practice writing these characters from the very beginning.

1. one

一

In Chinese characters, the number one is laid on it’s side, unlike the roman numeral for 1. This is written from left to right.

*As a primitive element, this stroke takes on the meaning of ‘floor’ or ‘ceiling’, depending on it’s position: above another primitive element = ceiling, if below = floor.

2. two

二

The kanji for two is a simple reduplication of one. The order of writing is above to below, and left to right

3. three

三

Triple the kanji for one. Same writing order, note that the middle stroke is shorter.

4. four

四

This kanji is composed of the primitive elements: mouth 口, and human legs 儿

5. five

五

As with four, we will learn the components for this one later on.

6. six

六

The primitive here are top hat and animal legs.

7. seven

七

Here the first stroke ‘cuts’ through the second. This distinguishes from the character for spoon (匕).

*As a primitive, this kanji takes the meaning of diced (i.e. ‘cut’ into little pieces).

8. eight

八

Like the infinity sign (a ‘sideways 8’), the expanse opened up between these two strokes is associated with the sense of an infinite expanse or something ‘all-encompassing’ by the Japanese.

9. nine

九

*As a primitive, this kanji can mean ‘baseball’ team or ‘baseball’. The meaning for this deriving from ‘nine players making up a team’.

10. ten

十

Turn this character 45 degrees either way and you have the x used in Roman Numerals for ten.

*As a primitive, this character sometimes keeps this meaning, and sometimes signifies ‘needle’.

11. mouth

口

This one is a clear pictograph - as there are no round shapes used, a square must be used to depict a round mouth.

*As a primitive, this form also means mouth. This can include openings/entrances to caves, bottles, rivers etc.

12. day

日

Intended to be a pictograph of the sun.

*As a primitive, this can mean ‘sun’ or ‘day’, or a ‘tongue wagging in the mouth’.

13. month

月

This character also represents the moon. One month is one cycle of the moon.

*As a primitive, this can take on the sense of the moon, flesh, or part of the body.

14. rice field

田

Imagine this is a bird’s eye view of a rice field divided into 4 plots.

*As a primitive, the meaning of rice field is most common, but sometimes it can mean ‘brains’,

15. eye

目

If you rounded this kanji, we may get something resembling an eye.

*As a primitive, this keep it’s sense of ‘eye’, or ‘eyeball’. When placed in the surroundings of a complex kanji, the primitive will sometimes be turned on it’s side.

Lesson 2

This lesson uses the first 15 characters as ‘primitive elements’

16. old

古

This kanji is composed of the primitive elements: ten 十 and mouth 口.

Can be thought of as a tombstone with a cross on top.

*Used as a primitive - keeps sense of old.

17. I

吾

This refers to ‘I’ in the general psychological sense. Can think of this as: five 五 + mouth 口 = five mouths (openings) on head = ‘I’.

18. risk

冒

Sun 日 + eye 目 . Can think of this as ‘it’s risky to look directly into the sun’.

19. companion

朋

月 flesh (moon). ‘Flesh of my flesh’ = companion.

20. bright

明

Sun 日 + Moon 月= bright.

月 flesh (moon). ‘Flesh of my flesh’ = companion.

21. chant

唱

One mouth 口 + two mouths with wagging tongues日 = chant

22. sparkle

晶

Three suns日 = sparkle.

22. goods

品

Three mouths口 = goods. Can think of ‘heaps of’ open mouths ‘waiting for goods.’

22. spine

品

Three mouths口 = goods. Can think of ‘heaps of’ open mouths ‘waiting for goods.’