A simple single stroke to represent ‘one’. Unsurprisingly, a similar convention was employed in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic writing and in Sumerian cuneiform. References: SS1984:27; QX2000:32.
Mnemonic: ONE FINGER
2
L5
右
U, YŪ, migi
right
5 strokes
右派 UHA rightist faction
左右 SAYŪ control
右手 migite right hand
Originally represented by , a stylized sketch of a hand. Other early but more complex forms show a hand on the right-hand side of what is widely interpreted as a mouth or – in a minority view (Shirakawa) – a ritual vessel /口 22 . References: SS1984:36; BK1957:261-2; KJ1970:38; AS2007:581-2.
Mnemonic: RIGHT HAND TO THE MOUTH
3
L5
雨
U, ame, ama-
rain
8 strokes
雨季 UKI rainy season
大雨 ōame heavy rain
雨雲 amagumo rain cloud
OBI . Based on a conceptual depiction of rain, falling from the sky which is represented by a top horizontal line, though this line is often missing in the OBI and bronze forms. The graph can also indicate weather elements. References: SS1984:38; QX2000:208.
Mnemonic: RAIN FROM HEAVENLY CLOUDS
4
L5
円
EN, marui
round, yen
4 strokes
円形 ENKEI circle
円高 ENdaka strong yen
百円 HYAKUEN hundred yen
The modern simplified form of 圓, a relatively late graph (Shuowen) which consists of 囗 (regularized shape for ‘circle’) with 員 248 (‘official’, originally ‘cauldron’) as phonetic; included by Tōdō in word-family meaning ‘round; surround’. 円 may be based on a cursive form of 圓. References: YK1976:69; TA1965:63-4. We suggest taking the graph as resembling a bank teller’s window.
Mnemonic: ROUND YEN COINS AT THE BANK TELLER’S WINDOW
5
L3
王
Ō
king, ruler
4 strokes
王子 ŌJI prince
女王 JOŌ queen
王様 Ōsama king
OBI shows this graph to be based on a battle-ax blade. Shirakawa feels the OBI and bronze equivalents show a ritual blade of a type used only by those of high status such as a ruler. Qiu notes that at the seal script stage the character 王 and another separate character meaning ‘jewel’ were written so similarly that they could easily be confused, so a dot was added later for clarity when writing ‘jewel’ (see 玉 15). References: SS1984:62-3; QX2000:46.
Mnemonic: KING RULES WITH AN AX
6
L4
音
ON, IN, oto, ne
sound
9 strokes
音楽 ONGAKU music
子音 SHIIN consonant
発音 HATSUON pronunciation
Precise etymology disputed. Early bronze equivalent . The lower element is interpreted either as a mouth (Karlgren, Katō) or as a prayer receptacle. Shirakawa takes the latter view, and maintains that the (extra) horizontal stroke inside the receptacle represents a written prayer. Katō regards 音 and 言 (see ‘word’, 118) as having been used interchangeably in ancient times, though Karlgren treats them as having been separate. References: BK1957:173, 80; KJ1970:68; SS1984:68. We suggest taking 立 as ‘rising’ 77 and 日 as ‘sun’ 66.
Mnemonic: SOUND OF THE RISING SUN
7
L5
下
KA, GE, shita, moto, shimo, sageru, oriru, kudasaru
under, lower
3 strokes
下品 GEHIN vulgarity
低下 TEIKA decrease
川下 kawashimo downstream
OBI . Mizukami suggests the curve was to help distinguish this character from early forms of 二 65 (‘two’). At some point, a vertical stroke was added beneath the longer horizontal. Qiu feels this change was also for graphic distinction – in this case from the early forms of 上 39 (‘above’), which was written with a short horizontal stroke over a longer one to represent ‘go up, above’. Shirakawa takes the longer horizontal line in early forms as depicting the palm of the hand (in profile). References: BK1957:28; QX2000:46; MS1983:151; SS1984:69.
Mnemonic: T-BAR WITH DROOPY LOWER HANDLE UNDERNEATH
January
