The Heart of Kanji

笑顔 (Waraigao) means “a laughing face.” The first character’s top lines represent bamboo and the lines below represent a person who is laughing like a bamboo stalk shaking back and forth. The second character’s left side represents a face and the right side represents a head. 良 (Yoi or yoki) means “good or right.” This […]

見 (Me) means “to see or look.” This character represents the human eye.  心 (Kokoro) means “heart,” and looks like an anatomical human heart.  価値 (Kachi) means ”value.” The left side of the first character represents a person and the right side represents treasures in a box. The right side of the second character represents […]

一 (Hito, ichi) means “one.” This number indicates one finger. (Taba) means “bunch.” This word symbolizes wood or flowers tied with string. 花 (Hana) means ”flower.” The top portion of the character represents a plant, the left side represents a person and the right represents a person who is upside down. 国 (Kuni) means “country.” […]

è…¹ (Hara) means “belly.” The left side represents a piece of meat and the right side represents our internal organs. ç«‹ (Tate) means “stand.” This word represents a person standing. 心 (Kokoro) means “heart.” This word represents the human heart. 鏡 (Kagami) means “mirror.” The left side indicates gold found in a mountain quarry and […]

私 (Watakushi) means “I, myself.” The left side of this word represents a rice plant and the right side represents arms. As one character, it shows a person holding lots of rice with both their arms. å…ˆ (Sen, saki) means “before or after.” The top of this word indicates a person’s foot and the portion […]

書 (Sho) means “writing.” The top of this character depicts a person who is writing calligraphy, and the bottom represents a piece of paper. 道 (Do, michi) means “a way, path or road.” The right side represents a person’s head and face and the left side represents a crossroad. 心 (Kokoro) means “heart.” This word […]

人 represents a person standing and the character 生 represents a sprout growing in soil. 笑顔 (Waraigao) means “a smiling or laughing face.” 笑 represents bamboo and a person who is laughing, like bamboo playfully moving back and forth. é¡” represents a person’s hair and head. 種 (Tane) means “seed.” This character indicates a rice […]