ku When we talk about grammar rules or languages in general, ku means a phrase. Zekku is a situation in which you are too appalled to respond. It literally means vanishing phrases. In literature, poems and a part of a poem are called ku. It is also a unit of Japanese short poems. Japanese poems [...]

In English, there is no word equivalent to this character. There is no particular reading for this character, either. If you are using a Japanese word processor, type “onaji” and you can get this character. It means the same. This character is used to avoid repetition of the same character. In the following words, for [...]

na-ku, kyū Naku is a verb meaning to cry, weep, or sob. Hard and wailing cry is gōkyū. Gōkyūsuru therefore means to wail. Sad movies make me cry. I can express such a feeling as “nakeru,” “nakaseru” or “nakasareru.” In these words, -keru, -kaseru, and -kasareru are all okurigana, that is, they are written in [...]

  hazu-su, hazu-reru, soto, gai The simplest meaning of this character is out. Its reading is soto. You had better add the particle “ni” when you use it as an adverb meaning out. “Soto ni deru” means to go out. “Soto ni deyō” means “Let’s go out.” Gaishutsu means going out. Out From Where? Secret [...]

kira-meku, kira-meki, kō This is not a basic character, but the word kirameku is a common expression modifying words that may shine brightly. People often use “kirameku” and “kirameki” but write them in hiragana when they write. Stars and one’s future sparkle in a way it expresses. They are kirameku hoshi and kirameku mirai, respectively. [...]

tsu-mu, tsu-moru, tsu-mori, seki The verb tsumu means to pile or to stack. You can pile up not only physical things but also things you can’t physically stack. For example, some might stack experience, good deeds, or education; others might pile up debts, losses, or troubles. While you can accumulate things, things accumulate. When things [...]