JapanesePod101.com Blog
Learn Japanese with Free Daily
Audio and Video Lessons!
Start Your Free Trial 6 FREE Features

When Does the Component Not Mean “Flesh”?

In all the following kanji, doesn’t relate to the body:

(SEI, ao(i): blue, unripe)

The here originally had a different shape, so this kanji has no connection to the body.

(SHŌ, ka(tsu): to win)
(KO, mizuumi: lake)

But what about “moon”? If means “moon” on its own, shouldn’t it lend that meaning to at least a few kanji? Here are the only ones I can find in which that’s the case:

The timing of the moon:

(KI, GO: time, period, term)
(SAKU, tsuitachi: first day of the month, new moon)

This is not a common character, but I’m including it because I’m excited to find that tsuitachi has its own kanji! It usually appears as 一日 (one + day).

The light of the moon:

(MEI, aka(rui): bright, cheerful)
(RŌ, hoga(raka): clear, bright, cheerful)
(RŌ, oboro: dim, faint, hazy)

Not a character in general use, but it’s too good to pass up, because it combines with another uncommon one that means “dim” in 朦朧 (mōrō: dim, hazy, vague). Funny that all that moonlight can make things so dim!

Back to the Blog …