Kanji of the Week
Kanji Rule (1): Kanji Express Meaning.
Kanji do not express sounds. They express meaning. Kanji take the form of outlines. The meaning is understood from this form. Romaji express sounds. When you see the word "ki (tree)," you know what the pronunciation is, but not what it means.
Let's learn the outline and its meaning for each basic unit.
- Meaning
cherry blossom
-
Reading
On-reading: ou
Kun-reading: sakura
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Mnemonics
Cherry blossoms are pretty. A woman is also pretty when she wears a hair ornament. The kanji character "sakura" is a image of woman wearing a hair ornament.
Click here to learn another kanji character with the "tree" symbol. To read the article "Relationship with Nature: Cherry blossom," click here.
