The Joy o' Kanji Essays

This page provides a synopsis of all 545 kanji that have so far been featured by Joy o' Kanji. Each section provides the ability to purchase and download a kanji essay (), study flashcards for the essay content (), play entertaining study games (), or view the kanji's details on Kanshudo ().
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delusion
JOK: 1851
Live on the wild side with rash acts, thoughtless words, and reckless decisions! Learn to say, “A person with good sense will not blindly believe others' opinions,” “Everyone is annoyed by my mother's rash actions,” and “He failed because of his reckless decision.” Also find out how to say, “His words shattered my illusions” and “That girl is under the delusion that she is a princess.”
silent
JOK: 1856
Silence plays a special role in Japanese, where one must often intuit what isn’t said, but that’s just one type of silence. The essay looks at many kinds, such as tacit agreements, unwritten rules, acquiescence, clamming up during quarrels, awed speechlessness, remaining silent after an arrest, silent tributes to the dead, mutism, and viewing a disturbing sight but doing nothing about it.
chin
JOK: 1858
See what the idioms "to put out one's chin" and "dried-out jaw" really represent, and discover chin/jaw expressions that mean "to push someone around" and "all expenses paid." Learn terms for "beard," "double chin," "cleft chin," "protruding chin," "jawbone," and "TMJ." Also find out how to say, "His beard made him look 10 years older" and "I hit him once on the chin.”
pleasure
JOK: 1861
Find out how to say "He is not a cheerful guy, to say the least," "The more, the merrier," 'I'm really unhappy about this,' and "Nothing offends people more than broken promises." Learn how 愉 stacks up against 楽 and why they're sometimes interchangeable. Peruse covers of books that teach people how to enjoy life more even if they're aging or are unappealing to the opposite sex.
permanence
JOK: 1866
It’s hard to know how 悠 came to represent three unrelated ideas, but that enables us to say a range of things, including these: “He left the place quietly,” “I will still easily make it by the time we set,” “She remained calm even as others panicked,” “This certainly isn't a job where you can take it easy,” “You're being too relaxed about things,” and “a long, long time ago.”
kiln
JOK: 1881
This photo-rich essay brings you into the fascinating world of kilns in Japan, where people have fired pottery for 10,000 years! One kiln is named for a snake. Another climbs hills and requires people to stoke the fire around the clock for weeks. Find out about "kiln effects," wherein flying ash enhances a pot's beauty. Also learn to talk about baking food in ovens and building your own wood oven!
hug
JOK: 1882
Become a champion! Learn to say, “She is an ardent supporter of women’s rights,” “We must fight for our democracy,” “They stood up for the rights of their nation,” “Human rights organizations are putting pressure on authoritarian governments,” and “We put him up as a rival candidate.” Also find out why so many birds are fluttering around kanji compounds involving protection.
suppress
JOK: 1884
Controlling your anger, your appetite, and even your rebellious monks—this kanji enables all of that to happen. Learn to say, “He stood by those who were oppressed,” “Jane could not stop her tears,” “Inflation is getting out of control,” “A sudden wave of nausea overpowered him,” and “He could no longer restrain himself,” as well as “He doesn't intonate when he speaks.”
gauze
JOK: 1887
Learn why Buddhists eat a bitter pill before chanting, how a net relates to items arranged in a row, how beautiful clothes relate to the stars, the origin of the name "Rashomon" (it's more than a film title), why a term for "Indian gods" can represent a type of sled, why the sal tree and cypress are significant in Japan, and which body part Buddhists once amputated for a shocking reason.
thunder
JOK: 1888
See how people have envisioned thunder as a god's drum or hammer. Discover how to use 雷 for applause, amazement, and explosive weapons. Learn to say, "Thunder indicates that a storm is near," "The sound of thunder comes after the flash of lightning," "Thunderclouds hung low over the whole valley," and "Tactless people are likely to step on other people's land mines."
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