The Joy o' Kanji Essays

漠

One-third of Earth's surface is desert, and 1,900 square meters of the planet turn to desert every second. Learn about the desert that may one day be your home! Also find out how, contrary to what one would expect, rainy Japan has connections to deserts. It has two ties to the massive Gobi Desert, one historical, the other environmental. And Japan has little-known deserts of its own!

髪

Learn about historic Japanese hairstyles, including those resembling peaches or ginkgo leaves and one inspired by prostitutes, as well as a boxy pillow women used so as not to muss their hair. See what unexpected roles Edo-era barbershops played. Find out why you should grab the goddess's bangs, where to pray for your hair, and what Japanese men said about Marilyn Monroe.

伐

See how trees can be difficult! Find out why marketers emphasize that products have been made from wood felled in thinning the forest, and discover the thinking behind thinning forests at all. Then explore figurative uses of 伐 in terms about savage behavior, punitive expeditions to subjugate rebels, and the conquest of other countries. Also learn about a Japanese Robin Hood!

販

Find out the staggering range of items that Japanese vending machines sell (including eggs!), as well as several terms for such machines. Learn to say that a type of car is on the market or will soon be (which requires a different word!), retailing for a certain amount, though a sales promotion will bring a discount. Scads of photos reinforce the most important 販 terms.

頒

One shrine is handing out sweets. Other shrines sell amulets or magic beans. The essay contains signs with details about such offerings because 頒 represents the way in which people distribute goods. That includes printed matter; sample sentences are about disseminating manga at the Comic Market, handing out brochures at City Hall, and publishing stories in booklet form.

妃

Think you know what a princess is? This essay, which is largely organized around photos, illuminates the meanings of “princess,” “empress,” and “crown princess”; 妃 versus 姫; “regnant” versus “consort”; and much more. We look closely at Japan’s imperial household (especially Princess Masako), as well as royalty in Britain and France, even touching on Monaco and Manchuria!

披

With 披, it's as if trumpets have sounded. This kanji enables you to unveil plans, make announcements, debut songs, and show what you're capable of doing. Connected with introductions, displays, and performances, 披 pops up in contexts ranging from weddings to kabuki and Noh to sumo. But this kanji also has a sensitive side; with 披 you can pour out your innermost feelings.

卑

Because 卑 means 'base, lowly, vile, vulgar, mean,' it acquaints us with uncouth human behavior. Then again, 卑 can also mean 'humble' (i.e., the opposite of 'arrogant'), which is definitely a positive quality, especially in Japan. With this essay you'll learn Japanese words for "self-deprecation," "vulgarity," "despicable," "low class," and "coward." You'll also encounter an expression that means "Too much humility is pride." After reading about 卑, you'll even know how to say, "my humble opinion," which is kind of like IMHO, but not quite!

扉

Knowing 扉 will open doors for you! Learn about 扉 as a door to buildings, cabinets, shrines, and even trucks. Discover how the Japanese associate 扉, 戸, and ドア with different types of doors. See how 扉 works as a metaphorical door to the heart, the unknown world, and more. And find out how doors can connect to a goddess, book layouts, filleting methods, and even executions of war criminals.

碑

Japan abounds in stone monuments of all types. They commemorate individual lives, wars, peace, loyal service, and "aha!" moments that came to poets. By considering the spectrum of stone markers in Japan, we can understand what people have cared about and have sought to preserve. Don't miss this photo-rich essay, which looks at Japan from a very different angle.