The Joy o' Kanji Essays

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JOK: 1382
Though 緒 looks simple, its yomi and meanings constantly shift in fascinating ways. It means what you see above, plus “clue,” and is associated with “together” and “secret.” Learn to say all this: “Just between you and me, he is a liar.” “To know someone, travel with him for a week.” “Space science is still in its infancy.” “She told me in confidence.” “I don’t mix business with pleasure.”
confer
JOK: 1384
From autobiographies to mystery novels to epic poems, stories take many forms. But all involve narration and description, and 叙 drives both. Learn to say, "I will describe the incident as it happened.” Find out about inverted descriptions and inverted mysteries, as well as a "Gulf War novel." Also discover two manga artists, including one who created a Fred Flintstone look-alike.
gradually
JOK: 1385
Learn to read signs about slowing down, and discover who the target audience is. Find out how to say, “She gradually became arrogant,” “I was nervous at first but gradually relaxed,” “The city plan is gradually getting under way,” and “The number of people who prefer to marry late is gradually increasing.” Learn a word that can mean both “quickly” and “slowly,” prompting confusion!
measure
JOK: 1386
Find out why the Japanese drink saké out of small wooden boxes. Learn how their role has changed in Japan over time, and see how they have brought out the playfulness in designers. Learn when to interpret 升 as a unit of measurement or as a container, and distinguish 升 from 枡, 斗, 合, and 昇, which have overlapping meanings. Finally, see why 升 is popular in a Chinese context. By the way, the JOK Notebook entry for March 1, 2013, takes a close look at eight of the Japanese sentences that appear in this essay.
artisan
JOK: 1388
See how marketers have coopted 匠, which conveys an impressive mastery of an art or craft. This kanji was originally associated with carpentry, which carries little prestige in the United States. To grasp how it could be the opposite in Japan, I consulted Len Brackett, once a temple carpenter in Kyoto. His comments illuminate this essay, as do photos of his work.
resemble
JOK: 1391
Learn to talk about painted portraits, as well as abstract ones (e.g., a portrait of age 17). Find out how the idea of being inferior to one's parents spawned a word with many meanings, including a humble first-person pronoun. See how luck is considered contagious, and learn how a verb expressing this can also mean 'to follow someone's example' and 'to be named after.'
marsh
JOK: 1395
Learn to talk about bogging down in paperwork or endless war. Find out how to refer to an Instagram addict and a recession that threatens to become a quagmire. See how 沼 relates to 沢 (marsh), 湖 (lake), and 瓊 (beautiful ball)! Learn derogatory slang involving 沼. Find out about a man whose policy decisions increased bribery and famine in Japan. And see how methane can clear the mind.
early evening
JOK: 1396
This essay shines a light on nighttime, the hidden part of the day. See why one term for "nightfall" includes the mouth kanji 口. Find out which flower people associate with waiting—often for men who don't show. Discover the bad habits of Edo residents. And learn to say, "The night is still young," "I'm sure there are lots of night owls in the IT world," and "Soon evening will come."
good omen
JOK: 1398
This kanji takes us on quite a ride, from good omens to scandals ("unlucky things," according to the kanji) to discussions of origins and birthplaces (e.g., of reiki, golf, or a "super embankment"). Learn to say that Osaka is the birthplace of "conveyor belt" sushi, and find out about a crazy theory that Noah's Ark departed from Japan, making that country the birthplace of world civilization!
introduce
JOK: 1400
Find out about “stealth marketing” and legitimate articles versus advertorial. See why one term for “employment agency” sounds offensive to people. Learn about a man who brought an unlikely sport to Japan. Discover what happens if you see a doctor at a large Japanese hospital with no letter of introduction. Along the way learn a bit about hairy litchi and the origins of takoyaki!
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