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Bundle 56: Adorably Petite

Donald Richie said the Japanese perceive their nation as small (though it's not) because they feel it's gross to be large. Indeed, an affection for itty-bitty things runs through these essays. The prefix 豆- characterizes tiny books, small dolls, and trivia as "miniature." With 掌 the Japanese describe books as "palm-sized" and stories as "very short." The prefix 姫- indicates that a Chinese crabapple is adorably petite or that an animal is diminutive. And with 零 as "small" one can lament the loss of mom-and-pop bakeries and offer advice to small business owners engaged in David-versus-Goliath battles.
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掌
palm
JOK: 1402
Find out about palm prints and palmistry, and see what 掌 as "palm" represents figuratively. Discover the role of palms in a charming architecture style featured at two World Heritage Sites. Learn about taking charge and having control over things or people, as in "It looks like I can finally get the company under my control." Also see how 掌 relates to trains, martial arts, cacti, bears, and prayer.
豆
bean
JOK: 1640
From edamame to natto to tofu, Japan abounds in bean dishes. Learn about the most popular beans in Japan (unexpectedly named 小豆 and 大豆!), one of which is even popular with foxes! Find out which piece of furniture 豆 used to represent, as well as alternate meanings of 豆. Also discover its role as a radical in kanji such as 豊 (790: plentiful). Finally, learn a Japanese insult that involves tofu!
姫
princess
JOK: 1738
Learn about 姫 in the names of princesses in famous Japanese stories. Also see how 姫 appears in terms for all kinds of women: workaday laborers, daughters of the nobility, singers, dancers, girl geeks, and prostitutes! This kanji can mean "girl," "small and cute," or even "soft." It's also connected to Tanabata and a famous star, a rarefied kind of porcelain, and the first sex of the year!
零
zero
JOK: 1922
Knowing 零 gives you access to terms for subzero temperatures and 12:00. But far beyond that, truly grasping 零 enables you to say all of the following: “There is no chance of rain this weekend,” “They were shut out two games in a row,” “The sun peeked through,” “The milk boiled over,” “Hungry dogs were hoping for scraps,” and “I beg you to overlook my offense.” What a range!
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