A Boundary

kai

This character is hardly used by itself. Some characters like this only have on’yomi readings and we cannot tell the meaning from the readings. Today’s character means boundary that forms a world. Let’s see what kinds of worlds there are within some boundaries in the world.

• The world … sekai
• The business world … gyōkai (“Gyō” means business.)
• The lower world or this world … gekai (assuming that there is the upper world or the heaven.)
• The world of demons … makai (“Ma” means demons or evil spirits.)
• The world of sumo wrestling … kakukai
• Society as the rich, fashionable people in a particular place who meet on social occasions, e.g. London society … shakōkai

In some compounds, this “kai” means limitations or ranges.

• Perspective … shikai (“Shi” means to look.)

To see words that have no links to our archives, visit here.

1. Draw the left side of the rectangle.
2. Draw the upper and right sides of the rectangle.
3. Draw the vertical stroke in the rectangle.
4. Draw the horizontal stroke in the rectangle.
5. Draw the lower side of the rectangle.
6. Draw the sweeping stroke from the center to the lower left.
7. Draw the sweeping stroke from the center to the lower right.
8. Draw the sweeping stroke which is almost vertical.
9. Draw the vertical stroke.