DSC_4898.JPG
Originally uploaded by autan
Base, book

本(もと) - the base of something
moto

本(ホン) - a book
hon

基(キ)本(ホン) - basis, foundation
kihon

本(ホン)当(トウ) - truth
hontou

本(ホン)質(しつ) - essence
honshitsu


The little horizontal line (-) in 本 indicates the base of (tree).
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Radical: 木
Stroke Count: 5
音:ホン
訓:もと
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tent view
Originally uploaded by ronk53.



Sharpener
Originally uploaded by Big-E-Mr-G
Enter, insert

入(はい)る - to enter
hairu

入(い)れる - to insert
ireru

入(い)り口(ぐち) - entrance
iriguchi

入(い)れ物(もの) - container
iremono

入(ニュウ)学(ガク) - enter (a) school
nyuugaku

enter

Note: 入 is different from !!
Imagine 入 as the head of an arrow-shaped object (↑) to insert.
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Radical: 入
Stroke Count: 2
音:ニュウ・ジュ
訓:い・はい
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Cloudy sky...
Originally uploaded by hoshizora
Cloudy, gloomy

曇(くも)る - to become cloudy
kumoru

曇(くも)り - being cloudy
kumori

kumori

+ = 曇
It gets cloudy when the clouds hide the sun.

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Radical: 雨
Stroke Count: 16
音:ドン
訓:くも
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Thunderstorm I
Originally uploaded by MontyPython
Thunder

雷(かみなり) - thunder
kaminari

雷(ライ)雨(ウ) - thunderstorm
raiu

kaminari
The kanji 雷 originally looked like kaminari2 .
The (+) marks indicate rolling thunders under (rain).
cf.

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Radical: 雨
Stroke Count: 13
音:ライ
訓:かみなり
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Lightning
Originally uploaded by feel_the_green
Electricity

電(デン)気(キ) - electricity
denki

電(デン)(シ) - an electron
denshi

電(デン)(シャ) - a train
densha

電(デン)話(ワ) - a telephone
denwa

den

The part looking like 甲 under (rain) represents lightning.
rain + lightning = electricity
cf.

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Radical: 雨
Stroke Count: 13
音:デン
訓:-
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Attractive Women Amuse Me
Originally uploaded by "CAVE CANEM".
Name

名(な) - name
na

名(な)前(まえ) - name
namae

名(ミョウ)字(じ) - family name, surname
myouji

名(メイ)人(ジン) - a master, an expert, a person whose name is well-known for his/her skill.
meijin



+  = 名
Do you think the girl in the picture would reveal her name? :)
名 indicates that you speak up in darkness to let others know where/who you are.

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Radical: 口
Stroke Count: 6
音:ミョウ・メイ
訓:な
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Total Lunar Eclipse
Originally uploaded by Minouchette.
Outside

外(そと) - outside
soto

外(ガイ)国(コク) - overseas, foreign country
gaikoku

外(ガイ)食(ショク) - eating out. dining out
gaishoku

soto

+ = 外
In ancient times, people tried to tell fortunes by looking at the moon phases. When the moon wanes, you see "the outside" of the darkened part.

See for more information on ト.

usage examples

Antonym: 
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Radical: 夕
Stroke Count: 3
音: ガイ・ゲ
訓: そと・はず・ほか
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Crescent Moon
Originally uploaded by markkilner
Evening

夕(ゆう)方(がた) - evening, nightfall
yuugata

夕(ゆう)食(ショク) - supper, dinner [eaten in the evening]
yuushoku

夕(ゆう)日(ひ) - the evening/setting sun
yuuhi



夕 represents the crescent moon. See .
cf.

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Radical: 夕
Stroke Count: 3
音: セキ
訓: ゆう
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