Speak and Read Japanese

by Larry Herzberg

  nado など etc.; and so forth

  Rather than giving too many examples of something and have our listeners nod off, we say “etc.”

  nagame 眺め / ながめ view

  If I get us a hotel room without a view, my wife nags at me until I ask for another room.

  眺 The kanji has the “eye” radical 目 on the left. The phonetic on the right seems to indicate looking off in all directions. It actually depicts wooden lots being cast in a Buddhist temple to seek answers to one’s prayers. When we go to a beautiful scenic place, we all pray for our hotel room to have a great view, preferably in all directions.

  naka 中 / なか inside

  I hear something knocking about inside the hood of my old car.

  中 The vertical line in this kanji shows an arrow striking right inside the middle of the target.

  nakusu なくす lose (something)

  Whenever I lose something important, like the car keys or my credit card, I take a lot of knocks from my wife!

  nani 何 / なに what?

  When Shakespeare’s characters sing, “Hey, nonny, nonny,” modern audiences ask, “What?!”

  何 The kanji has the “person” radical 亻 on the left, since it is people who always ask, “What?” Dogs or cats will simply just ignore it, or eat it! The phonetic 可 on the right, meaning “permitted,” shows the mouth with breath rising up as someone asks permission for something. It’s as if the other person asks, “What?!”

  natsu 夏 / なつ summer

  Summer is the time to sit in the yard drinking beer and eating nuts (ナッツ).

  夏 The kanji shows the head of a farmer on top (頁) and two arms crossed on the bottom. As the 2nd-century Chinese etymological text Shuowen Jiezi explains, in summer the farmers are temporarily idle, with their arms hanging by their sides, since the crops they planted in spring are not yet ready to be harvested.

  naze なぜ why?

  Why does the nozzle on so many hoses get so easily plugged up?

  neko 猫 / ねこ cat

  Cats with their furry coats don’t wear clothes, but go around naked.

  猫 The kanji has the “animal” radical 犭 on the left, which is found as the radical in the vast majority of kanji for various mammals, including cats. The phonetic 苗 on the right side, meaning “sprouts,” has the “grass/flower” radical 艹 on top and the “field” radical 田 on the bottom. Cats love to cleanse their stomachs by going out into the fields and eating grass, after all.

  nemasu 寝ます / ねます sleep

  Nay, must sleep, says the tired person asked to do something.

  寝 The kanji has the “roof” radical 宀 on top, seeming to show under the roof a person on the left using his or her hands on the right to lay a child on the bed to sleep at night.

  nigeru 逃げる / にげる escape

  Negro slaves in the old South would try to escape whenever they could.

  逃 The kanji has the “walk” radical ⻌ on the left, since in ancient times the principal way to escape from capture was on foot. The phonetic on the right seems to show prisoners or slaves escaping in all directions. It actually depicts wooden lots being cast in a Buddhist temple to seek an answer to one’s prayers. Anyone wishing to escape would, of course, pray for freedom.

  niku 肉 / にく meat

  When you order meat at the deli, the butcher takes nicks out of the meat as he slices it.

  肉 The kanji shows a piece of meat, with the two 人 showing the marbling of the fat in the meat.

  nishi 西 / にし west

  Nietzsche was a Western philosopher.

  西 This kanji actually shows the belly and long legs of a sea bird inside its nest. When the sun sets in the west, the birds go to their nests to rest, explains the 2nd-century Chinese etymological text Shuowen Jiezi.

  nodo のど throat

  If a singer uses the throat too much in singing, he or she may develop vocal nodes.

  nomimasu 飲みます / のみます drink

  If you do not drink alcohol and your Japanese host offers you beer or sake, you might say “no, me must not drink alcohol.”

  飲 The kanji has the “food” radical 食 on the left, which shows a hand on top reaching into a rice bowl in the middle and scooping up the rice with a spoon, pictured on the bottom. The right side shows a person on the bottom, with breath rising up, and means “to inhale.” When we drink, it is often with food, and we figuratively inhale the beverage.

  obaasan おばあさん grandmother [honorific]; grandma

  My obaasan makes me wear an obaakooto (overcoat) when it’s cold outside.

  oboeru 覚える / おぼえる learn; remember; memorize

  I can never learn to play the oboe, but I remember it represents the duck in “Peter and the Wolf.”

  覚 The kanji is a simplification after WWII of the traditional kanji, 覺. The traditional form, still used in Taiwan and Hong Kong and by Chinese in the West, has the kanji 見, “to see,” on the bottom, showing an eye (目) on two legs (儿). We usually need to see something to learn it and remember it. The top part of the traditional kanji shows two hands on either side, passing down knowledge (the 2 Xs) to students, whose minds are restricted in their ignorance as if there were a roof over their minds. Learning removes the roof from the mind of the student and lets in knowledge. The simplified version of the kanji now used in Japan and mainland China only puts three little lines in place of the meaningful top half of the original. Think of those three little lines as the knowledge penetrating the mind of the learner.

  ocha お茶 / おちゃ tea

  The caffeine in tea makes you cha-cha!

  茶 The kanji for tea has the “grass/flower” radical 艹 found at the top of characters for flowers, vegetables, and herbs. Below the “grass/flower” radical is a shelter under which a large tea plant, represented by the “tree” radical 木, is being dried, before the leaves are plucked off to make tea. The initial お is an honorific put in front of some of the most important items in Japanese daily life, including money (おかね).

  odoroku 驚く / おどろく be surprised

  In Japan you will be surprised by many unfamiliar odors that occur.

  驚 The kanji has the “horse” radical 馬 on the bottom, which shows the mane, body, and four legs of a horse. Horses are easily startled by the slightest noise. The phonetic 敬 on top of the kanji 驚 means “respect.” It shows two hands on the right as the radical. Asians will always give and receive everything with two hands, to show respect for the other person. The phonetic on the left of 敬 has the “grass/flower” radical 艹 on top, with the kanji for “phrase” 句 below it, showing breath rising from a mouth. We Americans are often surprised by the high level of respect the Japanese accord other people, as they offer us so many things with both hands, while speaking flowery words that seem very sincere. The Japanese are arguably the world’s most polite and gracious people.

  odoru 踊る / おどる dance

  Those of us who adore dancing must admit that when we dance we do perspire and exude a certain odor.

  踊 The kanji has one of the “foot radicals” on the left, since it is with the foot that we dance. This radical is a variation of the kanji 足 (ashi) for “foot.” In this variation the sole and heel of the foot are raised off the ground, with the vertical stroke representing the leg. The little box on top portrays the contour of the leg, although it looks like the kneecap. Imagine the phonetic 甬 on the right to be a 19th-century Southern belle like Scarlett O’Hara, dancing in a big hoop skirt, with the top two strokes depicting her head.

  ogoru おごる treat to food or drink

  Ogres rarely treat anyone to food or drink, including nice ogres like Shrek.

  ohashi お箸 / おはし chopsticks

  Chopsticks are useful in eating many things, including hash.

  箸 The kanji has the “bamboo” radical ⺮ on top, since chopsticks were traditionally made of bamboo. The phonetic seems to show the sun
on the bottom (日) rising above the earth (土) at the break of day. The Japanese, as well as the Chinese, use chopsticks to eat from the first thing in the morning until late at night.

  oi おい nephew

  When you have a young, rambunctious nephew, a Jewish person may utter “Oy veh!”

  ojiisan おじいさん grandfather [honorific]; grandpa

  Oh, gee, grandpa. Thanks so much for the gift!

  okaasan お母さん / おかあさん mother [honorific]

  A mother cares about her son.

  母 The kanji shows a mother’s two breasts, turned 90 degrees to make it easier to write. The breasts refer to the mother nursing an infant.

  okane お金 / おかね money

  Oh, can I do a lot of things if only I had the money!

  金 This kanji has the “earth” radical 土 on the bottom, with the two short skewed lines on either side of it being nuggets of gold in the earth. The top lines show the gold buried under the ground.

  okiru 起きる / おきる get up

  As we get up in the morning, we might notice the oak outside our window, which can get up to a great height.

  起 The kanji has the character 走, meaning “to run,” on the left, as the radical, which shows a foot on the bottom (止), with the heel and sole of the foot raised, running along the ground (土). The phonetic 己 on the right, depicts a silkworm crawling upward.

  okoru 怒る / おこる get angry

  Many things occur that make us angry.

  怒 The kanji has the “heart” radical 心 on the bottom, found in most characters related to emotions. The phonetic 奴 on top shows a woman on the left being controlled by a hand on the right, and means “slave.” The idea of slavery should make us all angry!

  oneesan お姉さん / おねえさん older sister [honorific]

  My older sister is always saying to her boyfriend, “Oh, nay!”

  姉 The kanji has the “woman” radical 女 on the left. The right side seems to show older sister with her arms held down at her side.

  oniisan お兄さん / おにいさん older brother [honorific]

  My older brother is much taller than me. I only come up to his knee.

  兄 The kanji shows a mouth on two legs. The true etymology of this kanji is that older brother in ancient China was the authority in his generation, and when he spoke, the younger siblings had to listen and obey.

  osoi 遅い / おそい slow; late

  If you’re going so slowly, we’re going to be oh so late!

  遅 The kanji has the “walk” radical ⻌ on the left, apropos of walking slowly, with the result that you’ll be late. The right side shows a sheep (羊), with its horns on top of the skeins of wool on its body, coming into a shelter, represented by a doorway. Sheep are slow in coming back into their pen after grazing out in the meadow.

  otoosan お父さん / おとうさん father [honorific]

  My father always says to me, “I told you, son!”

  父 The kanji, which by itself means “father,” shows the father’s two hands raised above his head in a gesture of authority.

  otooto 弟 / おとうと younger brother [humble]

  The little train my younger brother plays with goes “toot, toot.”

  弟 The horns on top of the kanji symbolize power or authority. In traditional Chinese culture the younger brother, being a male, has some authority in the family. The rest of the kanji shows a thread, looking like the “bow” radical 弓, being wound around a bobbin in a loom, represented by the vertical line. The metaphor here is that younger brothers follow the birth of their older brother one after another, just as threads follow one after another as the loom weaves.

  otto 夫 / おっと my husband [humble]

  My husband’s name is Otto, and he loves his auto.

  夫 This kanji shows a powerful person with what appears to be two sets of arms, the better to protect his wife.

  oya 親 / おや my parents [humble]

  Ungrateful children, when it gets to be Mother’s Day or Father’s Day, will finally say to themselves “Oh, yeah, I should do something for my parents.”

  親 The kanji actually means “relatives.” On the right side it has 見, “to meet” or “to see,” as the radical, since relatives are people we see regularly in our lives. The phonetic on the left has the character 立, meaning “to stand,” on the top, with the kanji 木 for “tree” on the bottom. Relatives, especially our parents, are people who “stand” in our family tree and whom we see regularly.

  oyogimasu 泳ぎます / およぎます swim

  Should Yogi Bear’s companion in the cartoon series, Boo-Boo, see Yogi trapped by the Ranger on the side of a lake, Boo-Boo would probably think to himself, “Oh, Yogi must swim!”

  泳 The kanji has the “water” radical 氵 on the left. The phonetic on the right, which means “eternal,” has the kanji 水 for “water” on the bottom, with two extra strokes on the top to make it look different The idea here is that water in rivers is perpetually (eternally) flowing.

  rei 例 / れい example

  Ray Charles, the famous singer/songwriter is a great example of what a blind person can accomplish with enough talent and hard work.

  例 The kanji has the “person” radical 亻 on the left, since we humans look to great people as examples to follow. The phonetic on the right has the “death” radical 歹 on the left, which depicts a skull, and the “sword” radical 刂 on the right. There are certainly many examples in Shakespeare’s plays of characters dying at the hands of a knife or sword.

  renshuu 練習 / れんしゅう practice

  When a runner practices, he/she must wear running shoes.

  Literally: “refine-learn.” Often used with suru.

  練 This kanji means “to refine.” It has the “thread” radical 糸 on the left, referring to the refining process required in turning threads from the silkworm cocoons into silk. The original phonetic on the right has been replaced in recent decades with the kanji 東 for “east,” which shows the sun (日) coming up over the trees (木) in the east as dawn breaks. Appropriate enough, perhaps, to have the kanji for “east” together with the “thread” radical representing silk since it was in the East that silk was first produced. You refine your knowledge of a subject through practice.

  習 This kanji means “to learn.” It has two wings (羽) of a bird on top of the kanji 白 for “white.” When you are beginning to learn something, you are a “white belt” novice, who is like a fledging bird just learning to fly.

  ringo りんご apple

  Fried apple rings are delicious! And Ringo Starr of the Beatles was rumored to love apples.

  sabishii 寂しい / さびしい sad; lonely

  Sob she does when she sees a sad movie.

  寂 The kanji has the “roof” radical on top, for it is when we are at home alone that we most often feel lonely and sad. There is a hand (又) on the lower right of the kanji picking beans from the bean stalk on the lower left. Harvesting beans is lonely work, after all. A useful mnemonic device might be to see the bean stalk as a person facing a little table on the right, eating a lonely meal by him- or herself.

  sai 歳 / さい years of age

  As our years of age pile up, we may very well sigh!

  歳 The kanji has a foot (止) on top and a roof with a side wall (厂) below, under which there is a distortion of the “foot” radical 足 and a halberd (戈). Chinese books on etymology claim that this character originally showed the planet Jupiter, which the Chinese associated with war, much as the Romans did with the planet Mars. Since Jupiter’s revolutions around the sun were calculated in years, the character came to mean “years,” and, by extension, “years of age.” Remember the kanji by thinking that as we get older, time marches on, represented by the feet in the kanji. Figuratively speaking, we may begin to feel more and more wounded in body (the halberd), but hopefully not in spirit.

  sakana 魚 / さかな fish

  Sockeye s
almon is one type of fish.

  魚 The ancient version of this kanji showed a fish hanging on a hook. The top few strokes are the head, and the middle part (田) shows the scaly body of the fish rather than a field, with the four strokes on the bottom representing the tail of the fish and not fire. When the ancient Chinese scribes codified the language several thousand years ago, they simplified many pictographs and in so doing made some parts of kanji the same for a number of pictographs that originally had been quite different.

  samui 寒い / さむい cold (air temperature)

  Yosemite Sam in the Warner Brothers cartoons must be feeling cold, to always be wearing a huge sombrero and keeping his mustache so big and bushy!

  寒 According to the 2nd-century etymological text Shuowen Jiezi, this kanji shows a person taking shelter from the cold in a bed of straw under a roof. The “ice” radical 冫 is on the very bottom of the character, with the crossed lines above depicting the straw and with the “roof” radical 宀 on the very top.

  sanpo 散歩 / さんぽ walk

  When Brazilians take a walk, they might samba a little.

  Literally: “scatter-steps.” Often used with suru.

  散 This kanji means “to scatter.” It shows two hands on the right as the radical. The phonetic on the left seems to show little bits of grass on the top with the moon on the bottom. At night little creatures like rabbits scatter about to eat whatever grass they might find.