[image]

ONE horizontal line.

ひと・つ

いち

一

[image]

TWO horizontal lines.

ふた・つ

に

二

[image]

THREE horizontal lines.

み・つ

さん

三

[image]

 HUMAN LEGS stick out of a monster's MOUTH -

FOUR of them.

よ・つ

よん

し

四

[image]

KEYS hang by a CANE from a CEILING - FIVE of them.

いつ・つ

ご

五

[image]

TOPHATTED creature with ANIMAL LEGS picks up SIX.

む・つ

ろく

六

[image]

SEVEN. Similar to a SPOON, but the horizontal stroke CUTS all the way through.

*Primitive = diced, i.e. CUT into little pieces.

なな・つ

なな

しち

七

[image]

Pictograph of the number EIGHT.  The two lines if continued could form the "X" at the centre of the number 8.   

や・つ

はち

八

[image]

The second stroke kicks out to represent one of NINE baseball players legs as he slides into a base.  Note the vertical stroke is drawn first. *Primitives = baseball, baseball team.

ここの・つ

きゅう

九

[image]

Turn this character 45 degrees either way, and it makes the X used for the Roman numeral for TEN.

*Primitive = needle.

とお

じゅう

十

[image]

This square forms a pictograph of a MOUTH.

くち

口

[image]

DAY. Pictograph of the sun.

*Primitives = sun, tongue wagging in mouth.

ひ｜か

日

[image]

Pictograph of the crescent MOON as seen through wisps of clouds

*Primitives = part of the body, flesh, meat, moon.

つき

When this kanji appears as a primitive on the LEFT side of a kanji, it brings the connation of  "part of body", "flesh", or "meat".

月

[image]

Pictograph of a grid of RICE FIELDS. Note the third stroke is from the top downward.

*Primitive = brain.

た

田

[image]

When turned sideways, the box in the middle could be seen as forming the pupil of an EYE (popular).

め

ま

目

[image]

 This looks like a grave-marker, the ever-nearing destination of the very OLD.

ふる・す

ふる・い

古

[image]

FIVE MOUTHS have for five "SELVES" ("I", "EGO").

われ

吾

[image]

With the SUN in your EYES, you RISK not catching the ball and a subsequent conking on the head.

おか・す

冒

[image]

Two COMPANION MOONS shine over an alien planet.

とも

朋

[image]

The SUN and MOON together make for a BRIGHT day (popular).

あか・るむ｜あか・るい｜あかる・く

あきら・か｜あか・らむ｜あ・かす

あ・くる｜あ・ける｜あかり

明

[image]

A MOUTH CHANTS for 2 consecutive DAYS

とな・える

唱

[image]

SUNS, SUNS, SUNS, everywhere reflect off a SPARKLING wine.

晶

[image]

These three MOUTHS together almost look like GOODS piled up and ready for shipment.

しな

品

[image]

SPINE. Pictograph of two MOUTHS joined by a line.

呂

[image]

TWO SUNS shine on a PROSPEROUS man

昌

[image]

The NEEDLE-like stem of a flower spreads its arms to greet the EARLY morning SUN

*Primitive = sunflower

はや・い

はや・まる

はや・める

早

[image] 

Stay for NINE SUN-rises in the Land of the RISING SUN or else you'll never get over the jet-lag.

あさひ

旭

[image]

THREE TENS add up to the 30 years of a given GENERATION (popular).

*Alternate primitive = leaf

よ

世

[image]

Here we see a medical diagram with the BRAIN on top, and underneath, the PART OF THE BODY which is most prominent, i.e., The STOMACH

胃

[image]

The SUN rises up over  the FLOOR at "SUNRISE" (i.e., The breaking up of night). 

旦

[image]

The PART OF THE BODY which gets up every day at SUNRISE is the GALL BLADDER.

きも

胆

[image]

The SUN rises up over the FLOOR of the ground to the CEILING of the sky, thus SPANNING the day. 

 *Alternate primitive = Spam

わた・る

亘

[image]

Pictograph of a square with the top　CON-CAVEing in.

ぼこ

へこ・む

凹

[image]

Pictograph of a square with the top CONVEXing out

でこ

凸

[image]

Kids were punished by whacking them with a CANE all DAY long in the OLDEN TIMES

ふる・い

旧

[image]

point one finger to your NOSE, i.e., The DROP between the EYES, to indicate ONESELF (popular).

*Primitive = nose

みずか・ら

自

[image]

One DROP of the SUN is WHITE (popular).

*Primitive = white bird, or dove.

しろ・い

白

[image]

The Japanese call the 99th birthday the WHITE YEAR because the kanji for ONE HUNDRED minus the 1 at the top turns it into the character for WHITE. (Popular).

ひゃく

百

[image]

a CANE is stuck in a whale's MOUTH, allowing fish to go IN

also means MIDDLE

なか

中

[image]

If two lines make a TEN, then three lines = 10 to the 3rd, i.e. ONE THOUSAND. (Popular).

ち

せん

千

[image]

the MOUTHS of THOUSANDS have many TONGUEs.

した

舌

[image]

A THOUSAND bent NEEDLES are kept in an old SEWING BOX. Note how the THOUSAND is slightly curved.

* Primitive = sewing box

ます

升

[image]

The SUN tries to set on a needly SEWING BOX and immediately must RISE UP again.  

のぼ・る

昇

[image]

NINE DROPS make a ROUND pattern.

*Primitive = a fat, round baseball player.

まる

まる・い

まる・める

丸

[image]

Using a special HOOKED NEEDLE, DROPS  are carefully MEASURED out by a chemist.

*Primitive = glue.

This is actually an old Japanese measurement called a “sun” it is one tenth of a “shaku” which will appear later.

寸

[image]

A mutant who has TEN BRAINS GLUED together uses them to reach the top of his chosen SPECIALTY.

もっぱ・ら

専

[image]

Shakily holding a huge NEEDLE with DROPS flying out of it is an acupuncture SPECIALIST who wants to become a DOCTOR.

*Primitive = acupuncture specialist (without the needle)

博

[image]

a gypsy holds a MAGIC WAND, and  spirit's words emit from her MOUTH, presenting an image of FORTUNE-TELLING.

し・める

うらな・う

占

[image]

A MAGIC WAND stands ABOVE a FLOOR.

うえ｜うわ｜かみ｜のぼ・す

のぼ・せる｜のぼ・る｜あ・げる

あ・がる

上

[image]

A MAGIC WAND hangs BELOW a ceiling.

くだ・さる｜くだ・す｜　　

くだ・る｜さ・がる｜さ・げる

した｜しも｜お・ろす｜お・りる｜もと

下