The Complete Guide to Japanese Kanji. Kenneth G. Henshall

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      四月 SHIGATSU April

      四日 yokka fourth day

      四回 yonKAI four times

      OBI and many bronze examples represent ‘four’ using four horizontal strokes Some bronze forms appear to represent an open mouth with teeth, etc., possibly with the meaning of ‘breathe’ ‘Four’ is almost certainly a loan use. KJ1970:42; QX2000:174; KJ1985:122. As a mnemonic, we suggest taking the present shape as a clenched fist.

      Mnemonic: FOUR FINGERS IN CLENCHED FIST

      29

      L3

      糸

      SHI, ito

      thread

      6 strokes

      製糸 SEISHI silk making

      毛糸 keito woollen yarn

      糸巻 itomaki thread-reel

      OBI forms show single thread (probably silk); seal . 糸 is a common determinative, as in e.g. 絵 95 (‘picture’); distinguish from 系 855 (‘threads joined together’). The related element 幺 ‘fine thread(s), end of fine thread’ has ‘small, young’ as extended meanings. SS1984:364; MS1995:v2:1002-04,v1:446-8.

      Mnemonic: SKEIN OF TWISTED THREAD

      30

      L4

      字

      JI

      letter, symbol

      6 strokes

      字引 JIbiki dictionary

      赤字 akaJI ‘in the red’, deficit

      数字 SŪJI digit, number

      Earliest forms such as show that this graph is made up of 宀 ‘roof’ (in turn indicating ‘building’ or ‘home’) and 子 27 ‘child’, originally with meanings such as ‘raise, bring up’. It later acquired the meaning of ‘[Chinese] character, written sign’ from ca. 100AD in Shuowen jiezi. SS1984:379-80; GY2008:331.

      Mnemonic: A CHILD AT HOME LEARNING LETTERS

      31

      L5

      耳

      JI, mimi

      ear

      6 strokes

      耳科 JIKA otology

      耳鳴り miminari tinnitus

      耳飾り mimikazari earring

      OBI is based on a pictograph of an ear. MR2007:457-8; SS1984:380; QX2000:178.

      Mnemonic: POINTED EAR

      32

      L5

      七

      SHICHI, nana-

      seven

      2 strokes

      七月 SHICHIGATSU July

      七日 nanoka* seventh day

      七重 nanae seven-fold

      Derives from OBI and bronze graph similar to modern ‘ten’ 十 35 for a cut bone, the curve coming later. In early Chinese ‘cut’ and ‘seven’ had a similar pronunciation, and so the graph was borrowed to represent ‘seven’. SS1984:387; TS2010:3; AS2007:419,312.

      Mnemonic: BADLY WRITTEN TEN: ONLY WORTH SEVEN

      33

      L5

      車

      SHA, kuruma

      vehicle

      7 strokes

      電車 DENSHA train

      洗車場 SENSHAJŌ carwash

      手車 teguruma handcart

      Based on a pictograph of a two-wheeled chariot. OBI SS1984:391; KJ1970:490.

      Mnemonic: CHARIOT WITH TWO WHEELS

      34

      L5

      手

      SHU, te

      hand

      4 strokes

      手段 SHUDAN means

      手袋 tebukuro gloves

      上手 JŌZU* skill

      Bronze form shows five-fingered hand . In compound graphs, usually扌. SS1984:399; QX2000:178.

      Mnemonic: HAND WITH FIVE FINGERS BUT THE MIDDLE ONE BENT

      35

      L5

      十

      JŪ, tō

      ten

      2 strokes

      十月 JŪGATSU October

      十日 tōka tenth day

      十字 JŪJI a cross

      Etymology disputed. Katō sees early (bronze) forms of one vertical stroke, often with a small swelling halfway down, as showing a needle, later borrowed phonetically for ‘ten’: Mizukami is in agreement. The protrusion became a horizontal stroke. Shirakawa, by contrast, interprets 十 as a wooden counting stick. It has also been interpreted as a knotted rope. KJ1970:50; SS1984:50; TS2010:4; MS1995:v1:164-5.

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