| Meaning |
body part, meat 肉
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| Explanation |
This radical is at the left side of a character and typically drawn as: 月, which looks equal to: "moon, month 月" but still has the meaning body-part. |
Used in these Kanji:
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月
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JLPT 5Joyo 1 |
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moon, month
tsuki, GETSU, GATSU The radical 月 means moon or month. (The kanji for meat/flesh 肉 as a radical is typically simplified to this: 月)
Image of an ascending moon.
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月
肉
Vocabulary |
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前
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JLPT 5Joyo 2 |
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before, front portion
mae, ZEN Top: a part 䒑 of the head/horns of a sheep 羊, bottom: flesh 月/肉, knife, cut刂
The horns and the flesh are cut (beginning) at the front position.
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羊
肉
刂
Vocabulary |
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育
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JLPT 3Joyo 3 |
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educate, breed, raise, develop
sodatsu, IKU Top: new born baby  (child 子 turned upside down, because at birth with the head first), below: body 月/肉
The new born baby has a body, that needs to be raised and educated.
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肉
Vocabulary |
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祭
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JLPT 3Joyo 3 |
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festival, celebration
matsuri, matsuru, SAI Top: body/flesh 月 (simplified from flesh/meat 肉), hand  or: 又, bottom: show 示 (image of an altar 丁 with sth. 一 on; therefore 'to show')
Flesh is put by a hand on the altar: at the festival (of sacrifice).
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祭
肉
礻
Vocabulary |
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勝
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JLPT 3Joyo 3 |
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win, beat, surpass
katsu, masaru, SHŌ Combination of imperial majesty 朕 and strength 力 - BETTER: flesh/meat 月/肉, 龹 = fire 火 with BBQ-grate 二, power 力
If you barbeque your meat on a BBQ-grate over a fire you will have power to win.
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朕
力
肉
丷
龹
Vocabulary |
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肉
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JLPT 4Joyo 2 |
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meat, flesh
NIKU Top: inside 内, person 人 - Or: twice 人[=rips], around 冂 which the meat is. (As a radical simplfied to: 月, which looks equal as the radical for month/moon)
The inside of a person is flesh. (Or easier: Image of marbled meat.)
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肉
月
内
冂
Vocabulary |
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服
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JLPT 4Joyo 3 |
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cloth, garment
FUKU From left: body 月/肉, bent person 卩, hand 又
The body bends down with the hand for the clothes.
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肉
卩
Vocabulary |
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有
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JLPT 4Joyo 3 |
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being, have, own
aru, YŪ, U Upper left: hand ナ/ヨ, below: body 肉/月
I have a hand and a body: I'm existing!
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有
肉
Vocabulary |
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胃
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JLPT 3Joyo 4 |
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stomach
I Top: Rice field 田, below: part of body 月/肉
It comes from the field and ends up in this part of the body: The stomach.
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田
肉
Vocabulary |
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然
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JLPT 3Joyo 4 |
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affirmative, thus, so, but
shikashi, ZEN, NEN Top: (chinese only) dog meat 肰 (body 月/肉 and dog 犬), bottom: fire 灬
The body of the dog (roasted) over the fire: That was affirmatively so, but....
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肉
犬
灬
Vocabulary |
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腸
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JLPT 3Joyo 4 |
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intestines, bowels
harawata, CHŌ Left: body part 月/肉, right: Warm temperature with sunrise 旦 易 (sun 日, horizon 一, rays 勿)
(The intestines of freshly hunted animal/game are warm.) The body's part that emits warmth are the intestines.
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肉
旦
勿
易
Vocabulary |
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望
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JLPT 3Joyo 4 |
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wish, hope, desire, gaze
nozomu, BŌ, MŌ Top: death 亡 (coffin in cross section) and body 月/肉, below: king 王
The dead body of the king goes with our wishes.
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亡
肉
王
Vocabulary |
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脈
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JLPT 3Joyo 4 |
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vein, pulsation, pulse
MYAKU Left: body 月/肉, right: affluents (= side rivers) (cf. water 水 and faction/sect 派)
The body's affluents are the veins.
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肉
Vocabulary |
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絹
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JLPT 1Joyo 6 |
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silk
kinu, KEN Left: thread 糸, right: [Chinese only: small worm] 肙 (The mouth 口 is as big as the body 月/肉.)
A thread coming from an orifice of a body is silk.
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糸
肉
Vocabulary |
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燃
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JLPT 2Joyo 5 |
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burn
moeru, NEN Left: fire 火, right: affirmative/natural/but 然 (body 月/肉, dog 犬, fire 灬)
A fire has the nature to burn. - Or: A fire on which the body of a dog is fried, is really burning.)
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火
肉
犬
灬
Vocabulary |
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肥
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JLPT 1Joyo 5 |
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fertilizer, fatten, enrich
koeru/yasu, HI Left: body 月/肉, right: var.of slumped person 㔾
The body of that slumped person becomes: fertilizer.
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肉
巴
Vocabulary |
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胸
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JLPT 2Joyo 6 |
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chest, breast, bosom, heart
mune, muna, KYŌ Left: body part 月/肉, right: 匈 (wrap 勹 and bad luck/disaster 凶 [The marked 㐅 container 凵 brings bad luck])
The body's part that wraps a "void volume" is: the chest.
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肉
勹
凶
㐅
Vocabulary |
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筋
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JLPT 1Joyo 6 |
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muscle, sinew, line, vein
suji, KIN Top: bamboo 竹, bottom: bodypart 月/肉 and strength/force 力
Bamboo as well as the body develops the strength through muscles and sinews.
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竹
肉
力
Vocabulary |
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骨
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JLPT 2Joyo 6 |
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bone, skeleton, frame
hone, KOTSU From top: bone (pictograph of a vertebra), cover 冖, body/flesh 月/肉
The bones of the body are the bones.
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骨
肉
Vocabulary |
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臓
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JLPT 2Joyo 6 |
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inner organs, entrails, viscera
harawata, ZŌ Left: body part 月/肉, right: warehouse 蔵 (At the plants 艹 a retainer 臣 with a halberd 戈 guards the warehouse)
The body is the "warehouse" for the inner organs.
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肉
艹
臣
戈
Vocabulary |
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脳
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JLPT 2Joyo 6 |
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brain
NŌ Left: part of body 月/肉, right: light  , bad luck/desaster 凶 (empty container 凵 marked with a cross 㐅) Here consider 㐅 as the brain
This body part that shines from a container (= the skull) is: the brain.
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肉
凶
凵
㐅
Vocabulary |
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背
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JLPT 2Joyo 6 |
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back, stature, height
se, sei, somuku/keru, HAI Top: north 北 (Two persons 丬,匕 sitting back-to-back because they freeze in the north.), below: part of body 月/肉
When sitting back-to-back, then with this body's part: The back.
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北
肉
丬
Vocabulary |
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肺
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JLPT 1Joyo 6 |
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lungs
HAI Left: body part 月/肉, right: simplification of city 市 (Better: shoulders 一, lungs/chest 冂 and middle of the body 丨)
The body part below head 丶 and shoulders 一 with the lobes of the lung 冂 lateral to the backbone 丨 are: the lungs.
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肉
市
巾
Vocabulary |
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腹
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JLPT 2Joyo 6 |
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belly, abdomen, guts
hara, FUKU Left: part of the body 月/肉, right: reversible 复 (Who first lies  on the tatami mat 日 and then cross-legged 夂, has "reversed")
A body part that is reversible is the belly.
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肉
复
夂
Vocabulary |
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肝
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JLPT 1Joyo 7 |
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liver, courage
kimo, KAN Left: body part 月/肉, right: dry 干 (laundry rack)
(no fluid flows out) A body part that is relatively dry, is the liver.
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肉
干
Vocabulary |
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脚
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JLPT 1Joyo 7 |
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leg, foot
ashi, KYAKU, KYA Left: body part 月/肉, right: instead, to drive away 却 (= to leave 去 and bent person 卩)
This body part is used for 'leaving' and can be bent: the leg (foot).
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肉
去
卩
Vocabulary |
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脅
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JLPT 1Joyo 7 |
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threaten, frighten, coerce
odosu, obiyakasu, KYŌ Top: 3x strength 力, below: body 月/肉
The threefold strength of this body is threatening.
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力
肉
Vocabulary |
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肩
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JLPT 2Joyo 7 |
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shoulder
kata, KEN Top: door 戸, below: body part 月/肉
The door is (as high as) this body part: The shoulder.
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戸
肉
Vocabulary |
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肯
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JLPT 2Joyo 7 |
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agreement, acknowledge, affirm, consent
KŌ Top: to stop 止 (止= Footprint of the right foot rotated 90° to the left.), bottom: body or body part 肉/月
(Consent of vegetarians:) The stop (of consumption) of meat is our agreement.
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止
肉
Vocabulary |
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肢
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JLPT 1Joyo 7 |
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limbs (=arms and legs), extremities, part
SHI Left: body part 月/肉, right: support/branch 支 (hand 又, holding a twig 十)
The body's "twigs" are the limbs.
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肉
支
Vocabulary |
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脂
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JLPT 2Joyo 7 |
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fat, grease, lard, resin, tallow, gum, tar
abura, yani, SHI Left: meat/body 月/肉, right: tasty, purpose 旨 (He is sitting 匕 in the sun 日 and enjoys the tasty)
Meat is tasty, if it is fat. (Or: Grease 脂 is applied with the finger 指)
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肉
旨
Vocabulary |
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婿
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JLPT 1Joyo 7 |
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son-in-law
muko, SEI Left: woman 女, right: var. of correct/proper 正 (At the line 一 to stop 止 is correct.), body 月/肉
That woman wants a "proper body" as son-in-law.
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女
正
肉
Vocabulary |
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惰
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JLPT 1Joyo 7 |
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lazy, idle, indolent
DA Left: feeling 忄, right: left 左, body 月/肉
(When you are a right-handed person:) I feel that my left body (= left body's half) is lazy.
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忄
左
肉
Vocabulary |
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胎
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JLPT 1Joyo 7 |
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womb, foetus, embryo, plazenta
TAI Left: body part 月/肉, right: platform 台 (nose ム over the mouth 口)
This body part serves as 'platform' for the foetus: The womb.
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肉
台
Vocabulary |
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脱
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JLPT 1Joyo 7 |
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undress, take off, quit, escape, removing, get rid of
nugu, DATSU Left: body 肉/月, right: 兑 = the elder brother 兄 [= a big mouth 口 on legs 儿], lifting both arms 丷
(He raises his arms 丷 while stripping off his shirt. And I see:) the body of my elder brother with raised arms, who is undressing.
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肉
丷
兄
Vocabulary |
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胆
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JLPT 1Joyo 7 |
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gall, courage
kimo, TAN Left: body part 月/肉, right: sunrise 旦 (sun 日 above the horizon 一)
([Medically not fully correct, but:] Gallstones can cause nausea after eating or in the morning:) The body part you feel (already) at sunrise is: the gall.
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肉
旦
Vocabulary |
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脹
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JLPT 1Joyo 8 |
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expand, swell, bulge
fukuramu/reru, CHŌ Left: body part 月/肉, right: long 長
A part of the body that gets longer is: expanding.
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肉
長
Vocabulary |
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朕
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JLPT 1Joyo 7 |
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(royal) we
CHIN Left: body 月/肉, right: 关 (coming out of 丷, heaven/sky 天)
A body, out of the heaven: that's Us.
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肉
朕
丷
龹
天
Vocabulary |
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胴
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JLPT 1Joyo 7 |
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body, torso, trunk
DŌ Left: part of body 月/肉, right: same 同 [All containers 冂 have only one 一 opening 口 and that is the same.]
This body part resembles a torso/body.
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肉
同
Vocabulary |
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豚
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JLPT 1Joyo 7 |
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pig, pork
buta, TON Left: body 月/肉, right: pig 豕
The body of a pig is and remains a pig.
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豕
肉
Vocabulary |
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肌
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JLPT 2Joyo 7 |
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skin, surface, texture
hada, KI Left: body part 月/肉, right: table 几 (cf. 机,凡)
All bodies and also a table have a skin or surface.
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肉
凡
Vocabulary |
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腐
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JLPT 1Joyo 7 |
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rot, decay, go bad, sour
kusaru/reru, FU Top: (urban) prefecture, government 府 (building 广, attach 付 [Person 亻 with skillful hand 寸 attaches sth.]), below: meat 肉
If sb. attaches meat to a building, it will rot.
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广
付
肉
Vocabulary |
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膚
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JLPT 2Joyo 7 |
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skin
hada, FU Top: tiger 虎 (pictograph of a tiger with two claws), below: stomach 胃 (from the field 田 into this body's part 月/肉)
(The tiger eats everything of the prey:) The tiger has in the stomach also the skin.
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虎
肉
Vocabulary |
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胞
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JLPT 1Joyo 7 |
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placenta, womb
HŌ Left: body part 月/肉, right: wrap 包 (The wrap 勹 itself 己 makes it to be wrapped.)
The bodypart for "wrapping" in the placenta.
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肉
包
勹
己
Vocabulary |
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肪
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JLPT 1Joyo 7 |
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obese, fat
BŌ Left: body part 月/肉, right: side 方
The body is at its sides: too fat.
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肉
方
Vocabulary |
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膨
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JLPT 1Joyo 7 |
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swell, expand, get fat, bulge
fukuramu/reru, BŌ From left: body 月/肉, drums 壴 (with a twig 十 on a bean-like 豆 drums), hair 彡 (here: water 氵)
The bodies of the ten beans in the water 彡 swell and expand.
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肉
壴
豆
彡
Vocabulary |
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膜
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JLPT 1Joyo 7 |
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membrane
MAKU Left: part of body 月/肉, right: sink, go down 莫 (Here: 艹 =2x10, 日 = image of a membrane and 大 = big part)
The body's part, that separates 20 parts by a membrane from the big part is a: membrane.
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肉
莫
艹
Vocabulary |
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腰
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JLPT 2Joyo 7 |
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hip, lower back, loins
koshi, YŌ Left: part of body 月/肉, right: necessity 要 (Hand bags 覀 are for women 女 a necessity.)
(Asian women have less 'butt') A body part of western 西 women are the hips.
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肉
西
女
Vocabulary |
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腕
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JLPT 2Joyo 7 |
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arm, ability, skill
ude, WAN Left: body 月/肉, right: address 宛 (The roof 宀 under which I fall at the evening 夕 into a slumped 㔾 position: that is my address.)
My body collapses under the roof at the (live's) evening into a slumped person, but my arms are still capable/skilled.
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肉
宀
夗
㔾
Vocabulary |
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股
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JLPT -Joyo 7 |
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thigh, crotch
mata, momo, KO Left: body or part of the body 月/肉, right: weapon 几 (battle axe) and hand 又
(It is the longest bone:) The part of the body which can serve as "weapon in a hand" is the thigh(-bone).
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肉
殳
Vocabulary |
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腫
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JLPT -Joyo 7 |
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swelling, tumor
hareru, harasu, SHU Left: body part 月/肉, right: heavy 重 (vehicle 車 with double wheels)
A body part becomes heavy when it is swollen by a tumor.
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肉
重
Vocabulary |
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腎
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JLPT -Joyo 7 |
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kidney
JIN Top: retainer 臣, hand 又, bottom: body part 月/肉
Like a loyal retainer with his hand, this body part is serving us: The kindney.
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臣
肉
Vocabulary |
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脊
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JLPT -Joyo 7 |
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stature, spine, vertebral column
SEKI A variation of back/stature: 背 with two persons 北 [= north] sitting back-to-back
You are sitting 'back-to-back' with this body part: The spine.
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北
丬
肉
Vocabulary |
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腺
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JLPT -Joyo 7 |
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gland [anat.]
SEN Left: body part 月/肉, right: spring/fountain 泉 (It has white 白 water 水)
This bodypart is a "spring": the glands.
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肉
泉
白
水
Vocabulary |
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膳
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JLPT -Joyo 7 |
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tray, served dishes
ZEN Left: body/body part 月/肉, right: goodness, virtuous 善 (A sheep 羊, that stands 立 and opens the mouth 口, has goodness andi is virtuous.)
The body feels good in front of a tray with dishes.
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肉
善
羊
Vocabulary |
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遡
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JLPT -Joyo 7 |
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go upstream, reverse movement
sakanoboru, SO Left: reverse, opposite 逆 [movement 辶 out 丷 to the 一 mountain 山 and downwards ノ movements are reversed], right: body part 月/肉
If you reverse your body, you go backwards: upstream.
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辶
屰
肉
Vocabulary |
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膝
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JLPT -Joyo 7 |
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knee
hiza, Learn this together with "lacquer/varnish" 漆 (うるし) = "From the water/sap 氵of this tree 木 the person 人 makes drops 水 of: lacquer 漆"
(In former times they had wooden lacquered knee-protectors) The body part 月/肉 with the lacquer are the: knee.
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肉
木
水
Vocabulary |
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肘
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JLPT -Joyo 7 |
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elbow
hiji, Left: body part 月/肉, right: skillful hand 寸
The body part at which the 'skillful hand' is: The elbow.
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肉
寸
Vocabulary |
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脇
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JLPT -Joyo 7 |
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aside, another place
waki, Left: body part 月/肉, right: 3 x strength 力 (hand/arm ナ with biceps ノ)
A body with triple strength is at my side.
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肉
力
Vocabulary |
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| Similar Radicals (either meaning or view) |  |
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List of the characters |
List of the radials
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