The Joy o' Kanji Essays
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恥
shame
JOK: 1572
Discover which kanji trip up the Japanese, making them cringe. See how misused words, activism, and shamelessness also bother them. Learn proverbs about shame. Find out which country experiences "national humiliation." And learn to say, "I have never been so humiliated in my life," "His cheeks were burning with shame," and "He tried to save face but ended up disgracing himself instead."
稚
immature
JOK: 1576
Although 稚 means 'immature' or 'childish,' this kanji often represents very young people who are no more to blame for their lack of readiness than half-baked bread is. Learn ways of saying things like "They were too naive to understand." Also discover the context behind kids in a festival procession who wear silk costumes and heavy makeup and who may be called "divine children."
蓄
store
JOK: 1579
With 蓄 you can stock up on valuable things, both physical and abstract. Learn to say, “The food supply will not last till then,” “He conserved his energy,” and “Save something for a rainy day.” With terms for “vast store of knowledge” and “depth of meaning” you’ll be able to say, “This essay is a distillation of everything he knows” and “She’s good at giving a meaningful answer.”
秩
regularity
JOK: 1580
The 秩 kanji represents a type of orderliness way beyond the Marie Kondo kind. A life can be in order, though a sentence in the essay demonstrates what can happen: "His well-ordered life collapsed when his alcoholic brother showed up." Societies can be orderly, thanks to internalized social mores, the police, or martial law. Even the whole world has an order. Find out about all of this via 秩.
沖
offshore
JOK: 1583
This kanji brings us into fascinating realms, including an island so sacred that women are forbidden to enter, offshore earthquakes that cause tsunamis, and World War II battles that the Japanese still analyze for their lessons about failure. Above all, studying 沖 takes us to Okinawa, whose distinctive culture bears the influences of surrounding nations. As such, it is the birthplace of karate!
衷
inmost
JOK: 1585
With this short, energetic essay you'll learn the following things:
* How to express sympathy when someone loses a close relative or a business.
* Mnemonics for distinguishing 衷 from two look-alikes.
* Words related to compromises and happy mediums.
* How to talk about styles that blend East and West.
* Terms that sound like sneezes!
鋳
cast (metal)
JOK: 1586
Learn about turning molten metal into firm objects. Find out how to say, "The statue was cast in bronze," "The casting came cleanly out of its mold," and "A person cannot be made in a mold." See what "to force into a mold" means figuratively, learn what the Japanese melted down for the war, see when people illegally made coins, and discover which mall honors the local casting industry.
駐
stop over
JOK: 1587
This character once involved controlling horses. Now 駐 enables people to control cars and bikes (especially in terms of parking) and even to control each other! Using 駐, you can say that a company has posted you to Japan or that the government has stationed troops in a war-torn country. With 駐, you can also speak of envoys, such as the Japanese ambassador to France.
挑
challenge
JOK: 1589
This kanji has three sides to its personality. One part is ambitious; you can use 挑 for setting world records, trying skydiving, launching a spacecraft, or just challenging yourself with an exam. Another aspect of 挑 causes trouble, enabling you to have a defiant attitude and challenge others (even bears!) to a fight. The final side is sexual; with 挑, you can turn people on!
彫
sculpt
JOK: 1590
Do you know the purpose of the tiny sculptures known as netsukes? Do you know how a pharmacist’s mortar relates to a way of engraving? Do you know why the Japanese compare some people to sculptures or why two constellation names include 彫? Do you know about traditional tattoos that cover a great deal of the body, with the picture often coming directly from ukiyoe? You soon will!
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