nu-ku, nu-keru, nu-kasu, nu-karu, batsu The verb nuku means ‘to pick out’ or ‘to pull up.’ In a competition, nuku means ‘to overtake others’ and nukinderu means ‘to be more distinguished than any other.’ Excerpts are called bassui.

o, bi This character means a tail. Some animals have tails, which are called o or shippo. Shippo is almost always written in hiragana. Human beings have biteikotsu, which is the coccys. Shubi implies ‘from the beginning to the end.’ When somebody’s idea is expressed as “shubi ikkan,” it is coherent. The ridge of a [...]

ka-eru, ka-waru, tai The verb kaeru means to change or to replace. The verb torikaeru means ‘to exchange,’ ‘to shift,’ or ‘to replace.’ Exchanging money is called ryōgae. Foreign exchange is “gai koku kawase.” Kawase, which means money order, consists of two characters: tame and today’s character.

ichi The easiest kanji is ichi (一). Today’s character 壱 is also ichi, which is used for legal documents such as checks and contracts. The character is seen in the names of people as it implies holding power to succeed.  

koma-ru, kon Komaru is a verb meaning ‘to be in trouble.’ Komaraseru is also a verb meaning ‘to make somebody in trouble.’ Konnan is difficulty you may face or you may try to overcome. Konwaku is a kind of embarrassment you feel when somebody says something that upset you or that may offend others with [...]

taku This character is combined with other characters. Compounds including this are related to options and selections. Sentaku means choices. Sen means ‘to choose.’ Ni sha takuitsu means a choice between two things. When a large group of people discuss and choose something, reaching a decision is called saitaku, which is also known as adoption. [...]

yo-i, ryō Yoi is an adjective that means good, fine, or superior. Yoku is an adverb that means well. Ryōshin is conscience. A good person is admired as “zen’ryō na hito.” Zen is as good as today’s character.

sara, fu-keru, fu-kasu, kō A change is henkō. Updating or a renewal is kōshin. In these words, today’s character means ‘to alter’ or ‘to replace.’ In the Japanese language, it gains other meanings such as ‘new,’ and ‘deepening.’ Yofuke, for example, is ‘the deep of night.’ If you stay up till late at night, what [...]

modo-ru, modo-su, rei The verb modoru is used when somebody or something returns. If somebody returns something, it is described as modosu. Refund is haraimodoshi. Tape recorders have a rewind button although we rarely see them these days. Rewind is makimodoshi. Maki comes from the verb maku, which means to wind or to coil. Write [...]

shō Native Japanese people hardly use this character. Editors may compile parts of voluminous books and call them shō. Writers also use this character for the title of their writings. One of the most well known books is Chiekoshō written by Takamura Kōtarō, poet and sculptor. The book is an anthology of his poems concerning [...]