止 – Stop
A foot has come to a complete stop — it's flat on the ground, not moving an inch.
一 (one) + ｜(line/foot)
On: シ ・ Kun: と-まる / と-める / や-める
歩 – Walk
You stop (止) and then take a small step (少) — that’s walking, one step at a time.
止 (stop) + 少 (small)
On: ホ ・ ブ ・ フ ・ Kun: ある-く / あゆ-む
渉 – Ford
You ford water (氵) by walking across it repeatedly (歩 repeated three times as a bridge of steps).
氵(water) + 歩×3 (walk)
On: ショウ ・ Kun: わた-る
頻 – Repeatedly
A head (頁) keeps walking (歩) again and again — that’s frequency!
歩 (walk) + 頁 (head)
On: ヒン ・ Kun: しき-りに
肯 – Agreement
You say yes with your mouth (口) while pounding your chest (月 as flesh) — a heartfelt agreement.
月 (flesh) + 口 (mouth)
On: コウ ・ Kun: —
企 – Undertake
A person (人) looks up at a ladder-like structure — an idea or plan is forming, ready to be undertaken.
人 (person) + 止 (stop) variation
On: キ ・ Kun: くわだ-てる
歴 – Curriculum
You walk a path (止 + 木) over hills (厂) — tracing history, one step at a time through a curriculum.
厂 (cliff) + 林 (forest) + 止 (stop)
On: レキ ・ Kun: —
武 – Warrior
A warrior stops (止) conflict using a halberd (戈) — strength under control.
止 (stop) + 戈 (halberd)
On: ブ ・ ム ・ Kun: —
賦 – Levy
The shell (貝 = money) and warrior (武) combine — a warrior comes to collect a levy (tax)!
貝 (money) + 武 (warrior)
On: フ ・ Kun: —
正 – Correct
You stop (止) at a line (一) — the correct boundary, the right place to stand.
一 (one) + 止 (stop)
On: セイ ・ ショウ ・ Kun: ただ-しい / まさ
証 – Evidence
Words (言) that stop (正) doubt — that’s evidence.
言 (speech) + 正 (correct)
On: ショウ ・ Kun: あかし
政 – Politics
Politics is using words (言) to enforce correctness (正) — ideally, anyway.
言 (speech) + 正 (correct)
On: セイ ・ ショウ ・ Kun: まつりごと
定 – Determine
Under a roof (宀), things stop (正) — everything is in place, determined and settled.
宀 (roof) + 正 (correct)
On: テイ ・ ジョウ ・ Kun: さだ-める / さだ-まる
錠 – Lock
A metal (金) that fixes things in place (定) — a lock!
金 (metal) + 定 (fix)
On: ジョウ ・ Kun: —
走 – Run
It’s a foot (止) bursting forward with power — the added stroke represents sudden motion: run!
⻌ (movement radical) + 土 (ground variation) + 止 (stop/foot)
On: ソウ ・ Kun: はし-る
超 – Transcend
You run (走) and use your mouth (口) to shout as you go beyond — to transcend limits.
走 (run) + 口 (mouth)
On: チョウ ・ Kun: こ-える / こ-す
赴 – Proceed
A person sets off (⻌) with intention, stepping toward a direction (卜 + 一) — to proceed.
⻌ (movement) + 走 (run simplified)
On: フ ・ Kun: おもむ-く
越 – Surpass
To surpass, you run (走) and go past boundaries (戉, an axe or obstacle).
走 (run) + 戉 (axe/obstacle)
On: エツ ・ Kun: こ-える / こ-す
是 – Just so
The sun (日) shines down directly on the line (疋) — this is exactly right, just so.
日 (sun) + 疋 (exact/footprint)
On: ゼ ・ Kun: これ
題 – Topic
The topic is written (頁 = head/page) and stuck to a title board (是 = just so) — a clear subject.
是 (just so) + 頁 (page/head)
On: ダイ ・ テイ ・ Kun: —
堤 – Dike
The earth (土) is piled up just so (是) to form a dike — a barrier built with precision.
土 (earth) + 是 (just so)
On: テイ ・ Kun: つつみ
建 – Build
Stretch your hands (廴) and use tools (聿) to build something tall and solid.
聿 (brush/tool) + 廴 (long stride)
On: ケン ・ コン ・ Kun: た-てる / た-つ
鍵 – Key
A key is made of metal (金) and used in buildings (建) — essential for access.
金 (metal) + 建 (build)
On: ケン ・ Kun: かぎ
延 – Prolong
To prolong something, you stretch out your movement (廴) and speak (⾔) to delay it.
廴 (stretch) + 正 (correct base form)
On: エン ・ Kun: の-びる / の-ばす
誕 – Nativity
Birth is declared with words (言) that stretch out (延) through time — a nativity announcement!
言 (speech) + 延 (prolong)
On: タン ・ Kun: —
礎 – Cornerstone
Stones (石) hold up a structure built on truth (楚 = clear and upright) — the cornerstone of it all.
石 (stone) + 楚 (clear/pure/discipline)
On: ソ ・ Kun: いしずえ
婿 – Bridegroom
A woman (女) joins a family tree (叟 = old man/lineage) — the groom is part of the bride’s household.
女 (woman) + 叟 (elder)
On: セイ ・ Kun: むこ
