LUMP TOGETHER

括 カツ　くく（る）

JY f1540 376
lump together, lump, sum up, draw together
括弧・かっこ・brackets
括約筋・かつやくきん・sphincter
総括的・そうかつてき・all inclusive, all embracing
一括・いっかつ・lump together, sum up
包括する・ほうかつする・include, comprehend, comprise
KUN
括る・くくる・fasten, make fast, bundle
引っ括る・ひっくくる・tie up
首を括る・くびをくくる・hang oneself

"hand" and although it looks like "tongue" it is actually a phonetic figure (also seen in 活) to express bind, but without a clear semantic role. Therefore meaning was originally to bind the hands and hence eventyally to bind everything up or "LUMP TOGETHER".


TEST
brackets
sphincter
all inclusive, all embracing
lump together, sump up
include, comprehend

fasten, make fast, bundle
tie up
hang oneself

MY FIRST TEN KANJI

The first ten Kanji I studied are below:

TEST:
EMOTION; ACTUAL CONDITIONS
CONSIDER
UNITE; INTERCONNECTED SYSTEM
WITHDRAW
GO THROUGH
EARLY EVENING
SHALLOW
HUG
SUPPORT
PRESS


情、慮、統、撤、徹、

宵、浅、抱、擁、迫、

読み
ジョウ、セイ、なさ（け）
リョ、おもんぱか（る）
トウ、すべる
テツ
テツ
ショウ、よい
セン、あさ（い）
ホウ、かか（える）、だ（く）、い（だく）
ヨウ
ハク、せま（る）

SHORT WHILE

暫　ザン　しばらく

JY f1586 2864
short while, for the time being, temporary, provisional
暫時・ざんじ・short while, a moment
暫定の・ざんていの・provisional, temporary
暫定案・ざんていあん・provisional plan
KUN
暫く・しばらく・for a while. for hte time being

"sun/day" + a character meaning "behead/kill" which is a combination of "vehicle/palanquin" and "axe" - hence original meaning was to kill someone in their palanquin, which had to be done swiftly! Also with connotation of beheade began to connote swiftness - then together with sun/day a short while. Confusingly it can also mean a long time (like English " a while".

TEST
short while, a moment
provisional, tentative
provisional plan
for the time being

INSTIGATE

唆　サ　そそのか（す）

JY f1440 402
insitigate, entice, abet
教唆・きょうさ・instigation, incitement
示唆する・しさする・suggest, hint
KUN - instigate, egg on, abet, incite
唆し・そそのかし・instigation
人に悪事を唆す・ひとにあくじをそそのかす・entice a person to do something wrong

"mouth/say" + "linger" (also the right hand part of "acid"), acting phonetically to mean "coerce/exhort" but of unclear semantic role. Idea is therefore to urge someone to do something.

TEST
instigation, incitement
suggest, hint
instigation
entice a person to do something wrong

ARC

弧 コ

JY f1842 360
arc
括弧・かっこ・brackets
弧線・こせん・arc of a circle
円弧・えんこ・circular arc
INDEPENDENT - arc
弧を描く・こをえがく・describe an arc

"bow" and "melon" acting phonetically to mean rounded with also adding connotations of its own shape. Originally meant a curved type of bow, but eventually like the English term bow, became to mean a round arc.

TEST
brackets
arc of a circle
circular arc
describe an arc

SOLITARY

孤　コ

JY f1400 356
solitary, lonely, alone
孤独・こどく・lonely, solitary, alone
孤立・こりつ・isolation
孤島・ことう・solitary island
孤軍・こぐん・isolated force
orphan (original meaning)
孤児・こじ・orphan
INDEPENDENT - orphan, loneliness
徳は孤ならず・とくはこならず the good will not long remain lonely

"child" together with "melon" (a picture of a melon hanging from a frame). Phonetically this represents alone, and also the melon is alone in the picture. Hence the original meaning of a child alone, or an orphan, and then the wider sense of solitary.

TEST
lone, solitary, alone
isolation
solitary island
isolated force
orphan
the good will not long remain lonely

FINE

佳　カ

JY f1575 86
fine, good, excellent
佳作・かさく・fine work
佳品・かひん・excellent article
佳境・かきょう・interesting part, climax
fine looking, beautiful
佳人・かじん・beautiful woman
佳麗・かれい・beauty
絶佳の・ぜっかの・superb (landscape)
INDEPENDENT
佳・か・beauty, superbness

"person" (in this case a woman!) together with "edge/jewel" phonetically expressing beautiful plus also connotations of original jewel meaning. Hence a "beautiful" bejeweled woman" and then fine or beautiful in broader sense...

TEST
fine work
excellent article
interesting part, climax
beautiful woman
beauty
superb landscape
beauty, superbness

DELIGHTED

悦　エツ　よろこ（ぶ）

JY f1625 418
delighted, pleased, happy
悦楽・えつらく・pleasure, joy
喜悦・きえつ・delight, rapture, joy
愉悦・ゆえつ・joy
法悦・ほうえつ・religious exhultation
INDEPENDENT
delight, joy
KUN
delight, joy, rapture
悦び・とろこび・joy, delight
"per
"Heart, feelings" and "exchange" (which originally has a literal meaning of "person dispersing words" - thus meaning is the dispersing or bursting forth of feelings of joy.

TEST
pleasure, joy
delight, rapture
joy
religious exhultation
INDEPENDENT
delight,joy
KUN
joy delight

LET SLIP

逸　イツ　そ（れる）　そ（らす）

JY f1564 3120
let slip, miss, lose, let go, let pass
逸機する・いっきする・miss a chance, miss an opportunity
逸書・いっしょ・lost book
slip away, escape from the world
逸走する・いっそうする・scamper away, escape
逸話・いつわ・uncommon tale, annecdote
deviate from the norm
逸脱・いつだつ・deviation, departure from the norm
放逸・ほういつ・self indulgance, dissoluteness
exceptional, superb,outstanding
逸品・いっぴん・superb article
逸材・いつざい・person of exceptional talent
秀逸・しゅういつ・supreme excellence
INDEPENDENT
逸する・いっする・let slip, miss, lose, let go, let pass, swerve from course
KUN
逸れる・それる・deviate, swerve from course, miss
的を逸れる・てきをそれる・miss the target
目を逸らす・めをそらす・avert one's eyes, look away

A pictograph of a "hare" together with "movement" - to give the idea of a hare's fast movement, associated with escaping. Associated meanings above are fairly easy to understand.

TEST
miss a chance
lost book
scamper away, escape
uncommon tale, annecdote
deviation, departure from the norm
self indulgence, dissoluteness
superb article
person of exceptional talent
supreme excellence
let slip, miss, lose, let go
deviate, miss
miss the target
avert one's eyes

NOOK

隅　グウ　すみ

JY f1602 623
nook, corner
一隅・いちぐう・
KUN - corner, nook, angle
隅々・すみずみ・every nook and corner
片隅・かたすみ・coner, nook

"Terraced hill" together with "clawless scorpion with twisted tail" giving idea of convoluted and not clear but also twisting/undulating.  Originally referred to a hidden recess or hollow in a terraced or undulating hillside but then came to mean nook and by association corner (looking in - not looking at, which would be kado, kaku etc).

FOOLISH

愚　グ　おろ（か）

JY f1766 2834
foolish, stupid, ignorant
愚人・ぐじん・fool
愚劣な・ぐれつな・stupid, foolish
humble
愚問・ぐもん・silly question
INDEPENDENT
愚な・ぐな・foolish, silly stupid
KUN
愚かさ・おろかさ・foolishness, stupidity
愚かしい・おろかしい・foolish, stupid, dull

"heart/feelings" together with "clawless scorpion with twisting tail" where the idea of twisting led to convoluted and hence "obscure/not clear".  Therefore this Kanji acquired the sense of unclear feelings and hence irrationality and finally foolishness.

TEST
fool
stupid, foolish
sillyquestion
foolish, silly, stupid
foolishness, stupidity
foolish, stupid, dull

BY CHANCE; COUPLE

偶　グウ　たま

JY f1573 132
by chance, accidentally, by coincidence, unexpectedly
偶然に・ぐうぜんに・by chance, co-incidetally
偶発的・ぐうはつてき・accidental, contingent
偶感・ぐうかん・random thoughts, chance impressions
couple, pair
配偶者・はいぐうしゃ・spouse
対偶・たいぐう・spouse, companion, contrapositive
math - even numbers
偶数・ぐうすう・even numbers
奇遇・きぐう・odd and even numbers
orginal meaning - wooden doll, idol
偶像・ぐうぞう・idol, image

偶に・たまに・on rare occasions
偶々・たまたま・by chance, accidentally

"person" and "clawless scorpion with twisting tail", with phonetic meaning of "meet by chance" - ultimately coming to mean "to become companions" and hence idea of pair. The idol meaning may come from the practice of burying a doll with persons of rank to be their companion in the after life.

TEST SECTION
by chance, co-incidetally
accidental, contingent
random thoughts, chance impressions spouse
spouse, companion, contrapositive
even numbers
odd and even numbers
idol, image
on rare occasions
by chance, accidentally

TREAT; ENCOUNTER

遇　グウ　あ（う）

JY F1379 3135
treat, entertain, receive, deal with
待遇・たいぐう・treat, receive, entertain
処遇・しょぐう・treat, deal with
冷遇・れいぐう・cold treatment, frigid reception
知遇・ちぐう・warm friendship
優遇・ゆうぐう・prefer, treat favorably
encounter, happen to meet, come across
遭遇・そうぐう・encounter, come across
奇遇・きぐう・chance encounter
fate, luck, one's lot
不遇・ふぐう・misfortune, ill luck
INDEPENDENT
遇する・ぐうする treat, entertain
KUN
遇う・あう・come across, be confronted by

"Movement along road" plus an obscure character often lending a meaning of "not clear" or "not open". This character has an obscure etymology, with an old form being a clawless scorpion with a twisting tail. The idea of twisting may then have led to "convoluted" and hence the meaning of not clear or not open.

This kanji itself is a development of the 偶　in 偶然　and came to mean "meet by chance while moving along a road", but then ironically lost the sense of meeting by chance and instead came to meet, and then to meet and treat until it acquired its current meaning.

TEST SECTION
treat, receive, entertain
treat, deal with
cold treatment, frigid reception
warm friendship
prefer, treat favorably
encounter, come across
chance encounter
misfortune, ill luck
treat, entertain
come across, be confronted by

BE ANXIOUS

憂　ユウ　うれ（える）　うれ（い）　う（い）　う（き）

JY F1530 2145
憂慮・ゆうりょ・anxiety, concern, worry
憂鬱・ゆううつ・melancholy, gloom
憂愁・ゆうしゅう・melancholy, gloom, grief

憂える・うれえる・be anxious, be apprehensive
物憂い・ものうい・languid, melancholy
憂さ・うさ・gloom, melancholy
憂き目を見る・うきめおみる・have a bitter experience, have a hard time of it

Originally written showing "head" with "heart/feelings" and also "upturned foot", meaning walk slowly. Hence original meaning to walk slowly with sad heart and mind - later with meaning of sorrow and finally anxiety in general.

anxiety, concern, worry
melancholy, gloom
melancholy, gloom, grief
be anxious, be apprehensive
languid, melancholy
gloom, melancholy
have a bitter experience, have a hard time of it

FEARS

虞　グ　おそれ

JY F1928 3254
be anxious, be apprehensive
憂虞・ゆうぐ・fear, anxiety
雨の虞がある・あめのおそれがある・there is some fear of raining

"Tiger" plus "give" acting phonetically to express contrast of color, also giving idea of "not proven fact" from literial meaning of a person not telling the truth. This kanji originally referred to a mythical tiger-like creature with black spots on a white background. Hence "fears of a strange tiger"!

CONSOLE

慰　イ　なぐさ（める）

JY F1375 2867
console, comfort, show sympathy to
divert, amuse, amuse oneself sexually
慰問・いもん・asking after someone's health, consolation
慰霊・いれい・comforting the spirits of the dead
慰謝料・いしゃりょう・consolation money
弔慰・ちょうい・condolence, sympathy (CONDOLE+CONSOLE)
自慰・じい・self-consolation, masturbation
INDEPENDENT
慰する・いする・console, comfort
KUN
慰める・なぐさめる・console, comfort, cheer up
慰み・なぐさみ amusement, pastime, pleasure, fooling around
慰み半分・なぐさみはんぶん・half for fun

"Heart/feelings" at the bottom and "soldier of rank" above, except that soldier of rank original meaning comes from smoothing out (soldiers of lower rank etc). Hence idea is of smoothing out feelings.

TEST SECTION
asking after someone's health, consolation
comforting the spirits of the dead
consolation money
condolence, sympathy
self-consolation, masturbation
console, comfort
console, comfort, cheer up
amusement, pastime, pleasure, fooling around
half for fun

MELANCHOLY

愁　シュウ　うれ（える）　うれ（い）

JY F1709 2829
melancholy, sad, gloomy, worried, loneliness
愁眉・しゅうび・worried look, melancholy air
憂愁・ゆうしゅう・melancholy, gloom, grief (BE ANXIOUS + MELONCHOLY)
哀愁・あいしゅう・sadness, sorry
郷愁・きょうしゅう・homesickness
旅愁・りょしゅう・loneliness on a journey
KUN
愁える・うれえる・lament, feel sorrow
愁い・うれい・melancholy, grief, sorrow

Very easy to understand! "hear/feelings" together with "autumn" - autumn is a melancholy season!

SORROW; PITY

哀　アイ　あわ（れ）　あわ（れむ）　かな（しい）


JY F1652 2068
sorrow, grief, sadness, pathos
哀歓・あいかん・joys and sorrows
悲哀・ひあい・sorrow, sadness
哀感・あいかん・pathos
哀愁・あいしゅう・sadness, sorrow, pensiveness
哀話・あいわ・sad story
pity sympathy
哀切な・あいせつな・pathetic, plaintive
KUN
可哀相な・かわいそうな・pitiable, pathetic
哀れな・あわれ・pitiable, miserable
哀れむ・あわれむ・pity, sympathise
哀しい歌・かなしいうた sad song

"Mouth/sa" and "clothing", with the last used for its sound which is intended to be the sound of wailing and lamenting. Also gives some idea of being covered in sorrow as being covered in a cloth. Focus on sorrowful sound of ai...