舍　やど.る　シャ 舒　の.べる　ショ 舖　し.く　　ホ 舘　やかた、たて　カン All read コウ 后　きさき 垢　あか 逅　あ.う 詬　ののし.る すむ 住　ジュウ、チュウ 澄　チョウ 栖　サイ、セイ 棲捿　セイ たね 種　シュ、ショウ 胤㣧　イン　「幺（細い糸）＋八（わかれる）＋肉」 To better remember how to write 慶 and 薦 : 慶 starts and end with abstract elements 薦 starts and end with 艸 and 鳥 つぶ 粒　リュウ 螺　にし、ラ 顆　カ 犮 拔＝抜　ぬかす 祓　はらい 跋　バツ 魃　バツ、ひでり 髮　かみ 黻　ひざがけ 鶸「ひわ」・鰯「いわし」 鴿「とばと」・埠「はとば」 衷「チュウ」・哀「アイ」 I keep confusing the 音読み, but 衷 has 中 therefore チュウ 史　ふびと 吏　つかさ 使　つか.う 便　いばり うら 浦　ホ 裏裡　リ みぞ 溝　コウ 瀆涜　トク、トウ 渠　キョ 洫　キョク、クキ 朁 and 贊 贊・サン 儧儹攅攢纉纘　あつまる 濽灒　そそぐ 讃讚　たすける 鑚鑽　きる ・ 朁・シン、セン 僭　おごる 潜潛　ひそむ 簪　かんざし 譖　そしる 蠶　かいこ 䜌 灣・湾 旧字体 (using 彎) 巒・峰 variant (?) 攣・攣る「つる」 欒・Appears in 欒樹 「もくげんじ」 戀・恋 旧字体 變・変 旧字体 臠・肉 variant (?)、臠す「みそなわす」(very rare) 蠻・蛮 旧字体 鑾・すず（鈴 variant?) 鸞・ラン 圝＝圞 (but it doesn't seem used) 踏蹈𨂻 All read ふむ・トウ さかずき 卮巵　シ 杯盃　ハイ 盏盞　サン 觚　コ Some そしる readings, most are rather obvious but still useful 吡　ヒツ、ヒ 詆　テイ、タイ 譖譛　シン、セン 讕　ラン 訕　サン、セン 譏　キ 姍　サン、セン、ハン 讒　サン、ザン あし 足　ソク 脚　キャク、カク 趺　フ、シ 葦　イ 芦蘆　ロ 葭　カ ひさご 瓢　ヒョウ 瓠　コ、コク 匏　ホ、ホウ 蠡蟸盠　レイ、ライ、リ、ラ かさ 傘　サン 笠　リュウ 嵩　スウ、シュウ 暈　ウン 瘡　ソウ、ショウ 瘍　ヨウ 瘻　ル、ロウ 蓋　ガイ、カイ ふえ 籥龠　ヤク 笛篴　テキ 笙　ショウ、ソウ 簧　コウ；した 簫　ショウ；しょうのふえ I need to remember that 𥝢 as it appears in 黎 and 犂 is just a variant of 利 It also exists as a very rare variant : 𥝤 Two unrelated characters : 壼 (corridor) 壺 (つぼ) 厨廚　くりや 厠　かわや 厩　うまや 厮　こもの Not sure if they're related or not, but 冪 and 幎 are both read ベキ かわら： ガ・瓦 セン・甎磚塼 ヘキ・甓 磧＝河原 Also multiple tree names starting with かわら： かわらよもぎ：薼蔯 かわらやなぎ：檉 つむじかぜ・ヒョウ： 飓飘飙飚𩗗颶飄飃飆飇飈飊 箸緒猪儲瀦楮 and so on, all read チョ Four different 箱 variants with the キョウ reading 筐篋匧筺 Some characters that have been giving me a hard time lately : 懺・ザン、サン・くい.る 残・ザン、サン・のこ.る 惨・サン、ザン・みじ 鉤 and 鈎 are both read かぎ, but only 鉤 is also read はり Out of all the わたる kanji two have the コウ and カン readings, but only one is also read セン : 亙る：コウ、カン 亘る：コウ、カン、セン Two confusing characters : 浣・すすぐ・カン 濯・そそぐ・カン (also written 灌ぐ) 徽 is one of the many characters read しるし, but the only one with 音読み キ 徽章「きしょう」 𤰇 鞴　ふいご 糒　ほしい 𠧗 峠　とうげ 鞐　こはぜ 裃　かみしも 桛　かせ 挊　もてあそぶ 垰　たお (国事) 昂昴 Both read コウ, similar meaning too ほめる ： 誉　ヨ 褒　ホウ 賞　ショウ 賛讃讚　サン 美　ビ わかじに：殀 うえじに：殍 かがやく： 輝暉キ 曜燿耀ヨウ 煌コウ にせ： 偽僞贋 Learned うた kanji : 唄　ハイ 唱　ショウ 詩　シ 歌謌　カ 奥「おく」、燠「おき」 ひつぎ：匛柩槥櫬櫝槨 ささら：筅・箲、簓 Two もや characters : 靄霏 痣、疵、both read し 鴎「かもめ」、鰥「やもめ」 嘲噀噫喈噦嚊嚶囀囈嗚啼噬咿嘎嘐嘷唶嚅嘈呦嚄嗢咻 Somehow I still thought that 黽 was a 新字体 of 龜 but they're entirely different characters せめる： 攻「コウ」 責「セキ」 誚「ショウ」 讁「タク」 漾 is tricky, 漾うis read ただよう like 漂う, but 漂 is ひょう and 漾 is よう 翁「おきな、おう」and 媼「おうな」, phonetically related? Confusing fish 旗魚「かじき」、鰍「かじか」 梭魚「かます」、鰹「かつお」 両兩 冊册 椿榎楸柊 つえひ２ひ３ Interestingly, the simplified form 卆 for 卒 hides the fact that the original was originally based on 衣, and the same thing happens in the character 雑 which also replaces 衣 with 九 碎 → 砕 雜 → 雑 昆 and 昏 kinda work as a mirror image of each other, same reading too Some notes regarding the radical names : Two sideway boxes : 匸「かくしがまえ」；匚「はこがまえ」 Three beasts : 犭「けものへん」；豕「いのこ」；豸「むじなへん」 Three leather : 皮「けがわ」；革「かくのかわ」；韋「なめしがわ」 Two movements : 廴「いんにょう」；⻌「しんにょう」 Two cliffs : 厂「がんだれ」；广「まだれ」 Two large feet : 尢「まげあし」；「无」むにょう Two death : 尸「しかばね」：歹「かばねへん」 Two cauldrons : 鼎「かなえ」；鬲「あしかなえ」 Two gates : 門「もんがまえ」；鬥「たたかいがまえ」 Two herbs : 匕「さじのひ」：鬯「かおりぐさ」 Two shells : 貝「こがい」；頁「おおがい」 Two villages : 阜「こざと」・こざとへん；邑「おおざと」・おおざとづくり 欣「キン」 : 斤 is used for purely phonetic reasons, to me it sounds like the clinking of glasses during festivities This element 豙 (立＋豕) is awesome : "enraged pig with erected bristles" 哩 and 浬 are worth learning together 櫂隹、櫓魚 Maybe a mnemonic to remember how 梛 and 椰 are read would be to invent the word 梛椰木 嗇 is thought to be an ideogrammatic compound of 來 (barley plant) and 㐭 (granary). When used within other character it is sometimes drawn as the variant 啚, as in 圖, the original form of 図. 穡 is a simple compound of 禾 (rippened cereal grain) and 嗇 = harvested grain. 牆, a 垣 variant also read かき, is made of 爿* (flat wooden structure) and 嗇 = fence, wall 鄙 is 啚 (simplified granary) and 邑 (village), rural disctrict in which granaries are sited (from the EDHCC) 薔 has a disputed etymography, being regarded as either composed of 艸 (grass) and 牆 (fence) or and 艸 and 嗇. I'll take it as 牆 (wall) + 艸 = straight and solid stem plant. 檣 is 木＋牆 (wall) = straight piece of wood → (boat) mast. Best learned together with the variant 艢 Most of those characters can be read ショク or ショウ * Remember that 爿 is a variant form of 广 き＝木；ひ＝火；土＝つち；か＝金；みず＝水 え＝陽；と＝陰 ・ 甲　きのえ　十干の第一 乙　きのと　十干の第二 丙　ひのえ　十干の第三 丁　ひのと　十干の第四 戊　つちのえ　十干の第五 己　つちのと　十干の第六 庚　かのえ　十干の第七 辛　かのと　十干の第八 壬　みずのえ　十干の第九 癸　みずのと　十干の第十 ・ 木 甲 = A helmet made of wood 乙 = Vapors rising from tree leaves (fire is next) 火 丙 = Legs under a 炬燵 丁＝The flame of a 灯 土 戊＝A dog sleeping on the ground (not the dog character but looks close enough) 己＝Snake ramping on the ground 金 庚＝Husk made of gold 辛＝Metal needle 川 壬＝川 癸＝Ship helm I found different interpretations regarding the origin of the right element in 隣： 粦 : Multiple interpretations see the 米 as a corruption of 大, one sees the lower parts as drops of blood and interprets the character as "sacrifice victim", another sees a spirit surrounding a dead body and interprets it as will o' the wisp. There is also a disputed interpretation referenced in multiple places, that sees the character as a compound of 炎 and 舛. Conversely, EDHCC arrives at a similar conclusion but reading it in reverse : 炎 (flames) + 舛 (crossing legs) = will o' the wisp I'm not sure what to make of this, but EDHCC further interprets it as Chain of flames -> Repeated series, which makes sense to me when looking at characters like 鱗 (repeated pattern of scales) or 嶙 (mountain range) All 粦 based characters are read リン, except 憐 which is read レン 麥 (旧字体：麦) is described as a pictogram, representing wheat or a barley plant. Some see 來 (旧字体：来) as being the original character for cereal, to which the foot 夂 was added, either as a phonal element or visual depition of a plant root. This creates an interesting visual link between the rippening of cereals and the idea of time passing. There is also a theory about 麥 depicting a ceremonial dance (夂) for grain. 麩 I believe 夫 is a depition of a man with a 丁髷 (topknot haircut), which is sometimes used to explain its semantic function in other characters as impliying the idea of "taking space", "spreading". In this case, it could help to explain 麩 : 麥(wheat) + 夫 (spread) -> bran spread while processing barley -> bread/flour based products 麴 : malted rice (麥) wrapped into a ball 匊 -> Malt yeast 麺 : was originally written 麪, 丏 (正 variant ?) was then subsequently replaced with 面 I was doing some research about the three "rice" radicals 米, 釆 and 禾, and here's what I came up with so far It's difficult to disambiguate 米 and 禾 because they both can be used to represent rice, but 米 I will take as representing (any) consumable cereal, most likely rice and 禾 I will take as representing a ripened cereal grain From some sources I found, it seems that 釆 doesn't have anything in common with 米 (it's not 米 + ノ) but it's actually 爪 + 木, meaning sort through, disambiguate Disambiguation of 免 and 兔 Consensus indicates that 兎and its variant form 兔 are pictograms. 菟 (and variant form 莵) Rabbit + 艸 (grass) = Fast growing vine 逸 = fast moving animal -> escape 冤 = According to the EDHCC this is a variant form of 宛 which would make sense since they share the same エン reading. Effectively 兔 (rabbit) + 冖 (cover) : The explanation in the same article isn't very convincing but it serves as a good mnemonic : A rabbit hiding undercover after being unfairly accused of something -> False charge ⚠️ Remember that all of those were unrelated to 免 ⬆️ Depending on sources 免 is either a man with a hat, or someone pulling a fetus from a womb. The second one makes more sense to me (see 娩 below) I think a good way to interpret it is as "drawing away from" -> "strainuous effort". 勉 = 免 (effort) + 力 for emphasis : Make great efforts 俛 = 免 (effort) + 人 (person) = same thing as above 浼 = EDHCC is interesting here : "As per 免* (draw out of/away from) + 水 water → runoff of dirty/impure liquid matter → entreat/request (← sully oneself in begging for a favour" 晩 = Sun moving away -> Sunset, Evening 娩 = 免 (effort) + 女 (woman) = Giving birth 挽 = 免 (effort) + 手 (hand) = Pull, saw 輓 = 免 (effort) + 車 (cart) = Draw, pull 悗 = 免 (effort) + 心 (heart) = Mental effort that leaves one confused, in a daze Seems like 叧 really is just a variant form of 剮 (bone + knife), which interestingly used to represent the 凌遲 (língchí) practice https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/凌遲#Chinese https://jisho.org/search/凌遅 I couldn't find it in my classical chinese dictionary though 🤔 Anyway, it seems that there are only three pertinent characters with it in japanese : 別 : essentially 冎 (bone) + 刀＋刀, meaning is fairly obvious -> Separate 拐 : to separate by hand -> (to) kidnap, misappropriate 枴 : To separate + 木 (wood) -> walking stick. Interestingly, this is also a possible meaning for 拐, maybe this one is a replacement for the other? Additionally, it seems important to remember that 冎 is a variant of 咼, which helps making sense of characters like 骨 寿 is the 新字体 of 壽, their meaning feels rather natural to me : longevity, long span 壽 may take it's shape from the the view of paddy fields repeating Even though 壽 looks complex, it is fairly atypical and writing it by hand a few times helps to get a feel for it They both have the same 訓読み：ことぶき (from 言＋祝く) ・ 鑄 long + 金 (metal) = mint, coin (I like to think of a long, winding pattern being carved on the coin to mark it, even though I guess coins are stamped) 儔 long + 人 (person) = someone who shares a long part of our life -> companion 濤 long + 水 (water) = Instead of thinking of it as some sort of long (or extending high) wave, I like to think of waves, the movement of which goes back a very long time / the shape of with extend very far away -> wave 檮 long + 木 (tree) = Couldn't find a convincing explanation or mnemonic for this : block of wood -> ignorant 疇 long + 田 (field) = (Devised to replace 壽 which initially represented a paddy field) -> farmland -> category. I like to think of the aerial view of farmlands divided into plots as a metaphor for categories 禱 long + 示 (altar) = EDHCC mentions "prolonged prayer", but what about a prayer to prolong one's life? 躊 long + 足 (foot) = Prolong the time it takes to set foot somewhere -> Hesitate See the word 躊躇 籌 long + 竹 (bamboo) = I like the EDHCC's explanation here : long pieces of bamboo used in counting/measuring -> tally, calculate -> token 擣 long + 手 (hand) = Extend one's hand to beat something -> attack 幬 long + 巾(cloth) = Extending piece of cloth -> canopy 壔 long + 土 (earth) = If the EDHCC is correct this may be learned with 疇, seems to be another replacement for 壽 -> ridge, furrow (extending furrows dug into the earth) ・ Read チュウ/ジュウ：壽鑄儔疇躊籌 Read トウ：濤檮禱擣 幬 is read both チュウ and トウ 㓞 is described as an element combining 丯 (cut bone) and 刀 (knife), implying separation 絜 is used in two rather abstract characters : 絜 has a modern meaning of "measure" but which used to mean something like "correct", "proper" It can be learned together with the other character to help with remembering this meaning : 潔 (clean, pure), originally "purify by bathing". See 禊 below, to disambiguate the two I think of something made of threads being washed/purified with water ・ 大 in 契 is sometimes described as "big", but it makes more sense to think of it as a human : 㓞 (separation) + 大 (human) = contract, arrangement, pledge (regulating sharing or separation) 喫 separate + 口 (mouth) = to eat ; 齧 separate + 歯 = (to) bite 禊 separate + 示 (altar) = purify (I like to think of it as a purifying ceremony which involves separation from the rest of the group in a sacred space) 挈 is a bit more abstract : + 手 (hand) = carry by hand (?) 楔 separate + tree = A gatepost (creating a division between to spaces) or wedge I'm finding two unconvincing explanations for 斬, either 斤 chop wood to create a wooden 車 vehicle, or use the power of such vehicle to cut down something Once it is learned as "to cut down" however it becomes easier to remember other characters in the phonetic series : 塹 (trench), 鏨 (chisel) 嶄 (precipitous), 慙 (shame), 槧 (printing block), 漸 (gradual), 暫 (temporary) All of those characters are read ザン 槧 also has the 訓読み ふだ (like 札) 寐 Occasionally used as an alternative for 寝, for example 寐る or in the word 寐顔「ねがお」 爿 is interesting because it's meant to represent an elongated wood structure (more generally a bed), and it appears in the character 床 which used to be written 牀 迅, 訊 and 汛 are all read 「ジン」, and it seems that the consensus is on 卂 = birds flying in close formation → tight From there, 迅 → tight movement → swift , 訊 → intense questionning etc... 蝨 (variant form 虱) has a different reading 「シツ」but could be seen as following the same logic : tight formation of insects → vermin There are other characters with that element (軐阠扟籸...) but they don't seem used in japanese 與, 輿 and 興 all seem to originate from 舁 (to raise) EDHCC sees 舁 as 廾 (abbreviated form of 異) + 臼 (mortar). However other sources disagree and see the upper element as 𦥑 (pair of hands) 與 was replaced by the 新字体「与」, and is seen by the EDHCC as the origin for 輿 and 興 but other sources disagree as well. Consensus seems to be that each character is the amalgamation of 舁 "four hands holding [ ]" + another element : 舁＋同＝興 to prosper → pleasure 舁＋車＝輿 palanquin 舁＋semantic element 牙 = 與 wide range of meanings including to give, to follow, to deal with 㬎 is an ideographic compound, often described as 絲 (silken thread) + 日 sun, threads drying in the sun → visible. 顯 is the only character with that element that I could find used in japan. EDHCC adds : Despite appearances, 㬎 has no etymological connection with 濕 or 隰. CGJK seems to agree and see 濕 as originating as a graphical shift from 溼, but Ceinos Arcones sees it as a simple ideographic compound 魯 is an interesting looking element, it seems it only appears in two other characters In japanese, all three characters share the same 音読み「ロ」 魯 seems to be used as a dated phonetic alternative for 露, for example in the names 露西亜「魯西亜」 The general meaning of the character seems to be "foolish", for example in the word 魯鈍「ろどん」(stupidity). The idiom 魯魚の誤り and the yojijukugo 烏焉魯魚 both mean "using the wrong kanji to write a word". The edhcc extrapolates this meaning as "long and drawn out", and therefore interprets the next character 櫓 as watchtower, like in the character 楼. When used to represent a tower it can be read with the 訓読み 「やぐら」. The original (but less common) meaning of scull only seems to appear in rare words like 櫓杭「ログイ」. A remark : 櫓櫂「ロカイ」(sculls and paddles) uses the 訓読み of 櫂, a character we've seen in the kunyomi deck. 艪 is a variant of 櫓 A further character 穭 doesn't seem used in japanese. kanji.jitenon offers the following definition : 刈り取った株から生える稲 巠 is alternatively described as representing vertical threads passing through a loom, or streams of water. From both → straight (extensive) → abide 莖・茎「ケイ」：巠 straight + 草冠＝stem, body of the plant 經・経「ケイ」：巠 straight + 糸 = threads passing through a loom → longitude, passing (of time) [ → sutra, reason ] 輕・軽「ケイ」：Some sources associate 巠 with the idea of emptiness or speed here. EDHCC has : 巠 straight (thin) + 車 vehicle → light 勁「ケイ」：巠 extensive + 力 = strong, tough 逕「ケイ」：variant of 徑 脛「ケイ」：巠 straight + 肉＝leg, shin 痙「ケイ」：EDHCC has 巠 extensive + illness = long lasting spasm → cramp, convulsive fit 頸「ケイ」：part of the body extending from the body to the head → neck → throat, head 剄「ケイ」According to the EDHCC : 巠 is an abbreviated form of 頸 (throat) + 刀＝slit a throat 陘「ケイ」：徑 + 阜 (piled earth) → long gorge / mountain pass 徑・径「ケイ」：EDHCC only associate 經 with "threads passing through a loom", it sees other uses of 巠 as a simplified form of 徑 representing (straight) streams of water → path → diameter 吉 is often interpreted as "bend", or "fasten tightly". All characters using this element seem to be phono-semantic but EDHCC has the following : 結「けつ」：吉 reduce space + 糸＝binding with a cord → join, conclude (a contract) → end 詰「けつ」：吉 reduce space + 言偏 = question closely → fill → shrink 監「カン」　：phonal element is 臥. In the EDHCC, 臥 is descritbed as representing someone lying down on the floor (observing something). Same in the CGJK (someone looking at their own reflection in water). In both, 皿 is simply interpreted as a water recipient being observed, EDHCC interprets the extra stroke next to 人 as the water surface. Wiktionary has "pictogram depicting a person with an emphasized eye looking into a container". 賢「ケン」　：臤 phonal element is explained in the EDHCC as representing 臣 (to fix upon) and 又 (hand), meaning Firm, Solid, Rigid. According to the CGJK it originally represented a hand removing an eyeball. ・ 覽/覧「ラン」 : 監 (observing) + 見 = Survey 濫「ラン」 : Here the EDHCC takes 監 as a representation of a water container with no other implications : water container + 水 = overflow 艦「カン」：EDHCC : 監 (observing) + 舟＝Ship with surveillance equipment : warship. CJKV also describes another source that takes 監 as an abreviation for 檻 (cage) 鑑「カン」：金 + 監 (water mirror) : Observing one's reflection → evaluate 臨「リン」：most sources seem too agree that it is a representation of looking over merchandise → survey → command / look down 藍「ラン」：seems to be a phono-semantic compound, but could be taken as a plant used in a water basin for dying textile → indigo 檻 「カン」(non-常用) ：監 (watch over) + 木 ＝ wooden cage 襤「ラン」：監 is taken by the EDHCC to be an abbreviated form of 濫 (disorder) + 衣 → ragged clothes 籃「ラン」：監 (bowl) + 竹 = basket Yesterday we saw the word 鰭「ヒレ」for which the right element stood out to me. I just came across the word 嗜好 and thought I would look at this element more closely First, I couldn't find a definite etymological explanation for 耆 (general meaning : senility), but the EDHCC deconstructs it as person + 旨 (tasty) and then further use it as an element for "Preserved food". This is confusing because it's difficult to see where the character comes from, is it 老 or 旨 ? Maybe one of them was simplified and then both got merged as a single character. In any case I like this interpretation as "Preserved food" for this element. We now get to characters that feature this element, and I identified 鰭、嗜、蓍 in japanese. 嗜 and 蓍 both have シ as 音読み. 嗜 (to like) is interesting as it describes "abnormal" interest or love and is used for many paraphilias. 蓍 is very rare. On interesting use I've noticed is an alternative form of 筮「めどぎ」(divination stick) While researching related characters I came across this one, which is perhaps one of the most awkward characters I've seen so far : 鬐 It seems that 隋 is the origin of other characters with that right 左＋月element, and that it itself comes from the character (unused in japanese I think) 隓 (Collapsing walls of a city). 隋 has the reading「スイ」and so does 隨 (To follow) As far as I can see other characters with that element have the readings タ・ダ : 墮惰橢... 隊 has a similar meaning, and is read ダイ, I wonder if the two have a common origin, I think at the very least it's worth trying to learn them together 奉 : Lower element is a variant of 手. Upper element is 丰 + 廾. Given the emphasis on "Hand" I think I can remember this as "Holding (for example as an offering)". 捧 then is Hand + Offer = To offer. 棒 : Wood + Holding = Club. In 俸, 人 element is purely phonetic, but I guess I can use it for "Material reward for an offering" → Salary 奏 is 廾 (pair of hands) + unidentified elements, some describe it as Skinned sacrificial animal : Offer + (instrument made of animal skin ?) = Recital In 春, 𡗗 is a graphical shift originating from 艸 + 屯, in 泰 a shift from 大 + 廾 I remember alternative forms of 𡗗 (with last stroke starting higher) as having a different origin, but it's apparently just a graphical variant Mnemonics for the right element in 総 and 俊 The right element in 総 appears in 新字体, the original form is 總 with the right element constituted by 囪 (closed window → compressed) and 心. 酸 Right element in 俊 is 允 + 夊, with both elements representing human legs I think a good mnemonic is to remember 夋 as Standing erect, like suggested by the etymology in the EDHCC. Interestingly, 窓 used to be written 窻 (still used as a variant) Characters based on the 巩 seem to be phono-semantic, but the EDHCC makes some interesting observations that could be useful for mnemonics : 巩 (To pierce a hole and connect [with bamboo]), example characters : 恐蛩跫. All of those characters are read キョウ 筑 (To strike a musical instruments made of connected pieces) -> 築 (To assemble by striking together bamboo pieces -> to construct). Both of those characters are read チク