The Joy o' Kanji Essays
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扇
folding fan
JOK: 1492
You might be envisioning a handheld fan as a dainty item held by a dainty woman, but war commanders used to hold fans, and fans have served as weapons! Far from being confined to a genteel world, 扇 plays a role in words about instigating trouble. Learn about two shapes of fans and see how they influence animal and plant names, as well as descriptions of many everyday objects.
栓
plug
JOK: 1493
See how the Japanese perceive hydrants as faucets and how 栓 pertains to procedures for moving out of a home. Discover the onomatopoeia for “coming out with a pop,” as with a cork. Learn to say, "We're ready to eat, so can you open a bottle of wine?" "Store sealed in a dry, cool, and dark location," "Even after I turned on the faucet, no water came out," and "The main tap is turned off."
践
step
JOK: 1495
This kanji is for people who like to take action! Our character appears in the titles of "practical manuals" and books that offer "practical training." By studying 践, you'll learn to say, "Actions speak louder than words," "He used Western knowledge in a Japanese way," "Anyone can put it into practice," 'It's important to combine theory with practice,' and "He carried out his duty."
挨
push open
JOK: 1496
Manners are paramount in Japan, and 挨 has to do with the right words said at the right time (though it originally represented rude behavior!). See how 挨 relates to greeting and parting from others, apologies, expressions of sympathy, speeches, the yakuza, visiting relatives, Zen dialogues, writing letters, and more. Also learn why you might give toilet paper as a gift!
薦
recommend
JOK: 1499
People typically use this kanji to recommend things (e.g., restaurants, books, and hotels) or people (e.g., for positions). But 薦 also has connections to everything from saké barrels, straw mats, and wall coverings to Shinto rituals, flute-playing priests, and beggars, as well as the sacrum, wild rice, and azuki beans. This essay explores the relationships between these disparate themes!
漸
gradually
JOK: 1503
Learn to discuss gradual changes, saying things such as, "They're gradually making progress toward the goal" and "Someone with dementia gradually loses cognitive abilities." Also acquire adverbs that help you say, "The dispute was finally settled," "My daughter is barely 15," "Discipline is rather lenient at this school," "He finally broke up with her," and "I barely made the 9:20 train."
繕
mend
JOK: 1504
Learn to talk about smoothing over a gaffe, making excuses, and keeping up appearances. Find out how to say, “Show me clothes you think will look good on me,” “He got dressed quickly,” and “I had my mother mend this sweater.” Consider whether the Japanese view of mending has Shinto underpinnings. And see how a mushroom relates to darning and how beans relate to cloth!
双
pair
JOK: 1513
This photo-studded essay will have you seeing double! You'll learn which items in Japan are countable in pairs. On the flip side, you'll also see which sorts of entities have been deemed "peerless" (that is, not a pair). One expresses that idea with a negated form of 双. You'll encounter words for "twin" and "mutual," as well as sentences such as this: "He is as great a poet as ever lived."
桑
mulberry
JOK: 1518
The Japanese have found uses for every part of the mulberry - the fruit, leaves, wood, bark, and roots. In Japan, mulberries have been so important that some maps mark mulberry fields. Aside from its mulberry connections, 桑 factors into the names of several significant places, including San Francisco and Japan itself! Our kanji also pops up in surprising sayings and a famous bit of wordplay.
巣
nest
JOK: 1521
Nests—they’re not just for the birds. Spiders, bees, and even dragons live in homes symbolized by 巣. Humans, too, inhabit “nests” until they leave their parents’ home (a move expressed with 巣). Find out about nest-building agreements between crows and people. Learn to discuss feelings strongly rooted in the heart. And see why 巣 is embroiled in a radical controversy.
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