What is the name of the kanji?

[kanjibaka]

When studying kanji, we have the shape and we also have various pronunciations and meanings.


But, I have had people ask me what is the "name" of the kanji. Which one of these readings are they talking about, as being the "name".

[Belton]

the only ones I can say for sure are the radicals. they have specific names.

otherwise it seems to be a common reading. ie 水　is みず rather than すい
or you describe it in terms of its reading in a word. 題 could be もんだいの「だい」問題のだい
or you draw it on the palm of your hand with your finger.

I've just started a grade school book and it's interesting to see how it describes how to draw a kanji.

[Psy]

Err? Do the people asking you for these "names" know Japanese to any extent? In all of my studies I've never come across the "name" of a kanji.

[Javizy]

If it's English-speaking people asking you, you might as well just tell them the most common meaning(s); I doubt it makes much difference to them. If it's Japanese people, do what Belton says since Naomi does this all the time, and I can always picture the character from her explanation (assuming I know it ). Like Psy said though, kanji names? Even my friends, who don't know the first thing about Japanese, have the sense to ask 'what does that character mean?'.