Archive for the 'On Kanji' Category

Ferry Crossing: Part 1, November 6, 2009
I came across an intriguing word: 過渡 (kato: (1) crossing; ferry; (2) transient; (3) changing old to new;  to pass by + to go through (life) It catches my attention for several reasons. For one thing… More

Left Behind: Part 5, October 30, 2009
As I mentioned last week, the etymology of 残 (ZAN, noko(ru), noko(su)) contains the idea that it’s cruel to hack someone up until nothing remains. But perhaps that’s a glass-half-empty perspective. The glass-half-full view would be … More

A Killer Kanji: Part 4, October 23, 2009
It’s easy to think that 残 (ZAN, noko(ru), noko(su): to remain) has a soft nuance. After all, this character shows up in words such as … More

Garden-Variety Banking: Part 3, October 16, 2009
I don’t know much about banking, but I do know that a bank should inspire trust and confidence. The name of the bank has to be serious, a trustworthy brand in and of itself. My first bank account was at … More

Stayin’ Alive: Part 2, October 9, 2009
Let’s start with a quick quiz. What do you think the following might mean? 残生(zansei) strong>to remain + life 生残 (seizan)     life + to remain … More

Crowing About Regrets: Part 1, October 2, 2009
I found a word whose yomi sounds like something a rooster might say: 心残り (kokoronokori: regret; reluctance)     heart + remainder … More

Counting One’s Lucky Stars, September 25, 2009
If your life is on the line, that’s a bad thing. But what if that line were the horizon? Then it wouldn’t be a negative idea at all: … More

A Touch of Red: Part 3, September 18, 2009
Storks are normally white. And cranes tend to be grey, though blue is also a possibility. So what do you think a red stork or red crane would be? 紅鶴 (benizuru)     red + crane … More

Animals in Lipstick: Part 2, September 11, 2009
Today we start with a zoology question—or zoology mixed with kanji! What do you get when you combine a fish with a sheep and then add makeup? OK, I realize … More

Crimson Tide: Part 1, September 4, 2009
Today brings us the September installment of Alberto’s beautiful haiku calendar! I’m curious about the last kanji in the haiku, 紅, particularly in the following word. How would you interpret this? … More

The Race Is On: Part 2, August 28, 2009
I’ve found the nearly perfect kanji sandwich! Check this out: 徒競走 (tokyōsō: running race to go on foot + to compete + to run What a thing of beauty! If you took the first kanji, 徒, and removed… More

On Racehorses and Rivalry: Part 1, August 21, 2009
I’ve made an exciting discovery! As you may know, I’ve been collecting exceptions to a rule. If there are: … More

Words to Make You Sick to Your Chest: Part 3, August 14, 2009
Today’s blog is going to go all over the place. If that makes you so dizzy that you become sick to your stomach, then you’ve come to the right place, because soon you’ll learn a few ways to talk about that! Take a look at this sentence (unless you’re eating, in which case you might want to wait): … More

Chest Exercises: Part 2, August 7, 2009
Not that many things happen to the chest. Our fingers get papercuts, our toes get stubbed, and I’m forever bruising my thighs. But unless one plays American football, rugby, or the like, our chests don’t get whacked around as our limbs do … More

Treasured Chest: Part 1, July 31, 2009
If you saw the following word, what would you think it meant? 胸像 (kyōzō) As you may know, 胸 means “chest,” and 像 often means … More

Prodded into Action: Part 3, July 24, 2009
You might think that, as an inanimate object, a rod would be incapable of doing much. But 棒 (BŌ: rod, pole, stick) pairs off with several actions, as in the following expressions … More

Thievery Refined: Part 2, July 17, 2009
You know the expression “adding insult to injury”? The following term captures that feeling perfectly: 説教泥棒 (sekkyō dorobō: burglar who preaches at the victim about methods of preventing similar crimes, to preach + to instruct + thief (last 2 chars.)) … More

The Utility of Poles: Part 1, July 10, 2009
I have little interest in anything steely or mechanical, but this word caught my eye and leapt right into my heart: 心棒 (shinbō: shaft, axle) heart + rod An axle is a rod at the heart of a car!… More

Rough Around the Edges: Part 2, July 3, 2009
It’s officially summer! And on Alberto’s haiku calendar, the July page celebrates the arrival of summer! Here’s the … More

How to Treat People Badly: Part 1, June 26, 2009
If someone planned to serve you the following, how would you respond? 粗煮 (arani: dish consisting of bony fish parts boiled in soy sauce) coarse + to boil Blech! Not one part of that sounds good to me. Bony fish parts and hot soy sauce do… More