| Meaning |
skillful hand 寸
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| Explanation |
Image of a hand 一 forearm 丨 and pulse 丶. It was originally also the distance of one inch (Length: 1 SUN = 3.03 cm) from the hand's palm to the pulse. This also stood for a small amount. In the mnemonic, it is used as "skillful hand" and partly also "to measure".
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Used in these characters:
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村
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JLPT 4Joyo 1 |
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| village
mura, SON
木
寸
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Left: tree 木, right: to measure/skillful hand 寸
(Historically a palisade [= a fence] was used as defense around the village) Trees are erected with skillful hands to (protect): the village.
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寺
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JLPT 3Joyo 2 |
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| temple
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Top: earth 土, bottom: skillful hand 寸
Made from earth and skillful hands build a temple.
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守
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JLPT 3Joyo 3 |
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| protect, defend, guard
mamoru, SHU, SU
宀
寸
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Top: roof 宀, below: skillful hand 寸
The roof and the skillful hand will protect you.
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対
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JLPT 3Joyo 3 |
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| opposite, versus, pair
TAI, TSUI|
文
寸
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Left: text/writing 文 (A folding table 文 for writing a text.), right: skillful hand 寸.
A writing of a skillful hand against this pair.
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博
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JLPT 3Joyo 4 |
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| doctorate, gain, gamble, extensive, wide
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Left: ten 十, right: var. of wholly, exclusively 専 (The soil 一 is penetrated by a (single) sprout 丨 in the rice field 田, cared for by a skillful hand 寸, which is exclusive.)
(Gratitude of the patients:) Tenfold is the whole gain of a doctor.
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付
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JLPT 3Joyo 4 |
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| attach, fix, adhere, apply
tsuku, FU
付
亻
寸
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Left: person 亻/人, right: skillful hand 寸
A person with a skillful hand attaches sth.
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府
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JLPT 3Joyo 4 |
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| urban prefecture
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Left and top: building 广, rest: attach 付 (Person 亻 with skillful hand 寸 attaches sth.)
The buildings that are attaching, belong to the prefecture.
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謝
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JLPT 1Joyo 5 |
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| apologize, thanks
ayamaru, SHA
言
身
寸
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Left: word 言, right: to shoot 射 (The body 身 [is in a lateral position] and has a skillful hand 寸, when shooting)
The words after the shot were apologies.
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団
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JLPT 2Joyo 5 |
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| team, group, body, company
DAN, TON|
囗
寸
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Outside: enclosure 囗, inside: skillful hand 寸
You need to set limitations and have a skillful hand to form a team.
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導
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JLPT 2Joyo 5 |
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| guide, conduct, lead
michibiku, DŌ
辶
首
寸
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Top: way, street 道 (The movement 辶 of heads 首 on the street. [head 首 = eye 目 with bushy eyebrows 丷] ), below: skillful hand 寸
On this way a skillful hand will guide us.
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得
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JLPT 3Joyo 4 |
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| gain, get, acquire, benefit
eru, uru, TOKU
彳
旦
寸
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Left: go 彳, right: sunrise 旦 (sun 日 above the horizon 一), skillful hand 寸 [opposite: 損]
Go at sunrise with your skillful hand and make profit.
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射
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JLPT 1Joyo 6 |
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| shoot
iru, SHA
身
寸
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Left: body 身 (in side view), right: skillful hand 寸
The body stands laterally and has a skillful hand, when shooting.
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樹
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JLPT 1Joyo 6 |
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| tree, bush, stand
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From left: tree 木, drums 壴 (cf: 鼓, but here: ten 十 beans 豆), skillful hand 寸
The tree gives you ten beans (= seed) and your skillful hand makes more: trees and bushes.
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将
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JLPT 2Joyo 6 |
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| commander, leader
masa, SHŌ
丬
爫
寸
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Left: bed 丬 (cf. 爿 developed from the image of a halved 片 tree), right: a hand reaches down 爫, skillful hand 寸
A simple bed, a hand reaching down and a skillful hand defines (the skills of) a commander.
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寸
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JLPT 1Joyo 6 |
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| measure, length, SUN=3.03 cm
SUN|
寸
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Originally a hand with a pulse (The radical is derived from measuring and understood as "skillful hand".)
From the pulse to the hand is one Sun.
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専
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JLPT 2Joyo 6 |
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| exclusively, specialty, wholly, solely
moppara, SEN
専
由
寸
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From above: one 一 (here: ground), reason 由 (=growing sprout 丨 in the rice field 田), skillful hand 寸
The soil is penetrated by a (sole) sprout in the rice field and cared for by a skillful hand: That's exclusive.
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尊
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JLPT 2Joyo 6 |
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| honor, esteem, revered, value
tattoi/bu, tōtoi, SON
丷
酉
寸
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From top: out of 丷, wine mug 酉, skillful hand 寸
If something is poured out 丷 of the wine mug with a skillful hand, it appears honorable.
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討
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JLPT 1Joyo 6 |
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| attack, assault, defeat, chastise
utsu, TŌ
言
寸
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Left: word 言 (sound waves out of a mouth 口), right: skillful hand 寸
With words and skillful hands, you can attack.
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尉
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JLPT 1Joyo 7 |
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| military officer
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From left: buttock seen from the side 尸, show 示, skillful hand 寸
A 'buttocks' shows his skillful hand: that's the military officer.
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慰
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JLPT 1Joyo 7 |
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| comfort, console, amuse
nagusami/mu/meru, I
心
尸
寸
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Top: military officer 尉 (A buttock 尸 shows 示 his skillful hand 寸: that's an officer), below: heart 心
An officer with a heart knows how to comfort.
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冠
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JLPT 1Joyo 7 |
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| crown
kanmuri, KAN
冖
元
寸
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Top: cover 冖, bottom: origin 元 (here: chin. Yuan), skillful hand 寸
It's covering, costed many Yuan and is made by a skillful hand: The crown!
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爵
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JLPT 1Joyo 7 |
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| baron/marquis, peerage(=nobleness), peers
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From top: hand reaching down 爫, plate 罒/皿, var of food 食 and skillful hand 寸
A hand hands over the plates to serve food skillfully to the baron.
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狩
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JLPT 1Joyo 7 |
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| hunt
karu/ri, SHU
犭
宀
寸
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Left: wild animal 犭 (dog on hind legs), right: protect 守 (.. by a roof 宀 or a skillful hand 寸) [cf. to catch 獲, where a basket 艹 is falling on that bird]
For wild animals use a trap 宀 and your skillful hand 寸 to hunt them.
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寿
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JLPT 1Joyo 7 |
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| congratulate, long life
kotobuki, JU
扌
寸
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Left: var. of hand 手, right: skillful hand 寸
Two hands congratulate and wish a long life. (And two hands 手,寸 are needed to roll sushi 寿司)
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遵
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JLPT 1Joyo 7 |
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| obedience, follow rules, abide by, obey (a law)
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Left: movement 辶, right: esteem, honor 尊 (Serving out of 丷 the wine mug 酉 with a skillful hand 寸 is honorific.)
Honorific movements show your obedience.
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辱
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JLPT 1Joyo 7 |
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| embarrass, insult, shame, humiliation
hazukashimeru, JOKU
辰
寸
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Top: plow 辰 (At the field corner 厂 a first line 一 is plowed by the farmer 农 [农=Chinese for farmer]), bottom: skillful hand 寸
He still had the plow in his skillful hand and felt embarrassed.
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尋
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JLPT 1Joyo 7 |
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| inquire, ask, look for, seek, (length: 6 shaku =1.82m)
tazuneru, hiro, JIN
寸
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From top: hand ヨ, craftsman 工, mouth 口, skillful hand 寸
The hand of the craftsman, what he says 口 and his skillful hands are inquired (=seeked).
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耐
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JLPT 1Joyo 7 |
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| endure, resistance, bear, durablility
taeru, TAI
而
寸
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Left: beard 而 (.. hangs down below the mouth 一), right: skillful hand 寸
(Taking care for a beard needs time:) A beard needs a skillful hand that has endurance.
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奪
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JLPT 1Joyo 7 |
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| rob, take by force, snatch away, plunder
ubau, DATSU
大
隹
寸
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From top: big 大, bird 隹, skillful hand 寸
For a big bird you need a skillful hand, for robbing it.
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鋳
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JLPT 1Joyo 7 |
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| cast (i.e. in metal), mint
iru, CHŪ
金
寸
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Left: metal 金, right: long life 寿 (With both hands 手 & 寸 to congratulate and wish: a long life) [..or: to roll sushi 寿司]
Metal has a long life-cycle, and thus is used for casting.
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闘
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JLPT 1Joyo 7 |
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| fight, struggle, war
tatakau, TŌ
門
豆
寸
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Outside: gate 門, inside: beans 豆 (Here: 豆 as bullets) & skillful hand 寸
We are at the gate with bullets and skillful hands: Ready for the fight!
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薄
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JLPT 2Joyo 7 |
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| diluted, thin/weak (taste), shallow, light, faint
usui/maru/meru, HAKU
艹
専
由
寸
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Top: plant 艹, below: water 氵and: var. of wholly/exclusive 専 (The soil 一 is penetrated by a (sole) sprout 丨 in the rice field 田, cared for by a skillful hand 寸, which is exclusive.)
(i.e. tomatoes taste often watery) Plants with water can be wholly diluted, or weak in taste.
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縛
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JLPT 1Joyo 7 |
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| bind, tie, restrict, restrain, truss, arrest
shibaru, BAKU
糸
専
由
寸
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Left:thread 糸, right: var. of wholly, exclusive 専 (The soil 一 is penetrated by a (sole) sprout 丨 in the rice field 田, cared for by a skillful hand 寸, which is exclusive)
(The purpose of) A thread is wholly for binding sth.
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封
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JLPT 2Joyo 7 |
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| seal, close off
FŪ, HŌ|
圭
寸
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Left: piled/cumulated earth 圭 (=2x earth 土), right: skillful hand 寸
(cf. street 街 [= I go 行 over piled earth 圭] - Thus at road construction:) Earth is piled up by skillful hands and sealed.
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簿
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JLPT 1Joyo 7 |
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| accounting, register, accounting book, records
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Top: bamboo 竹, below: water 氵and: var. of wholly, exclusive 専 (The soil 一 is penetrated by a sole sprout 丨 in the rice field 田, cared for by a skillful hand 寸, which is exclusive)
About bamboo (its production) and water (its consumption) we have a comprehensive accounting.
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酎
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JLPT -Joyo 7 |
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| Shōchū, strong sake
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Left: wine mug 酉, right: length/measure 寸 (as radical: skillful hand)
For (producing) this wine you need a skillful hand: For the (distilled) Shōchū.
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肘
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JLPT -Joyo 7 |
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| elbow
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Left: body part 月/肉, right: skillful hand 寸
The body part at which the 'skillful hand' is: The elbow.
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| Radicals are shown here that are similar either in appearance or meaning. |  |
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At this page you get the memory phrases for learning the Japanese Kanji. If you are learning the Chinese Hanzi, please follow this link. |
List of the characters |
List of the radicals
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