RTK stories
authority
権 I have Eric Cartman of the "South Park" animated series, wearing a cop uniform, riding a wooden Pegasus (such as on a funfair), and yelling "RESPECT MY AUTHORITAH!!!"
sideways
横 A tree went all yellow. It died and fell down, ending up sideways.
timber-trees
樹 *Drums* are made from timber-trees cut down and *glued* together. (they really are)
mechanism
機 [synewave]An *abacus* is a mechanism made of *wood* used to calculate *how many* 'anythings'. Important geek note: This is used as the counter for your remaining lives in video games, as it also means chance/opportunity.
column
欄 Ancient morning newspaper column, posted daily on a #tree# at the #east gate#. Why the #east gate#? Well, it's a morning paper, and the sun rises in the east, so the morning rays shining through the gate illuminate it nicely. I picture all the ojisan who rise in the wee hours gathering around the tree each, waiting for the sun rise so they can read the paper. "Been coming here every day for 40 years! Can't start the day without my paper!"
lack
欠 To me, this kanji looks like a person with two arms and two legs, but who lacks a head.
next
次 Is this store *lack*ing *ice*? Let's try the next one, then.
Europe
欧 The *X-Box* wasn't a big hit in Europe. They took one look at it and collectively *yawn*ed.
longing
欲 the valley has something my life is lacking.... something I've been longing for.. peace and quiet
deceit
欺 Kasparov practices #deceit# by grabbing your *rook* while pretending to *yawn*.
goodwill
款 samuari, altar, yawn The samurai is on the altar, preaching about goodwill. The audience just yawns however, they want to see the man fight!
song
歌 *Can-can* dancers are supposed to be big-bosomed girls who dance. Yet these so called can-can dancers are flat-chested and singing a song, so audience of men is *yawn*ing in boredom.
delight
歓 Imagine a spoiled little girl. Her delight when she gets a Pegasus for her birthday... and then like all spoilt little girls she gets bored of it quickly... hence the yawn.
tooth
歯 My dentist used his *foot* and a *shovel* to dislodge the *rice* stuck between my #teeth#.
year-end
歳 Every YEAR-END, its important to STOP and have ONE LITTLE PARADE to celebrate.
death
死 Ok, this is where knowing some Eastern culture comes in handy! In Japanese society, when someone dies they creamate the body and pick out the remaining bones with special chopsticks. In this case, they're out of chopsticks so they decide to use (gasp!) a spoon instead.
martyrdom
殉 To commerate the saint's #martyrdom# his BONES will be displayed for a 10-DAY-PERIOD (decameron).
particularly
殊 *Bones*' coated with '*vermilion*' are Particularly well preserved. *(The first known use of vermilion - http://www.springerlink.com/content/jxu43806302r72l2/)*
remainder
残 Throwing all those coins (see {368}) was a really bad idea; people got mad with greed. The only remainders left were the *bones* of those that was on the *float*.
augment
殖 In the movie "Gattaca", Vincent Freeman (played by Ethan Hawke) augments his size by straightening his bones (his legs), in order to match up with the genetically "perfect" population, and reach his goal of travelling in space. The stretching of his lower leg bones involved multiplying the bone cells, another sense of this key word.
assault
殴 Best game of the year award goes to.... MISSLE ASSAULT for the XBOX! What a great game :-D
grade
段 In order to get your 1st grade, or first-dan (だん) black belt, you have to learn hand to hand combat with new weapons - first the grapple involving the *staple gun*, and then the *missile* deployment technique.
kill
殺 Trying to keep up with the modern world the Grim Reaper is sitting on a tree trying out a missile to kill.
basin
盆 I'm not an expert, but it seems that as a basin this refers more to an oceanic basin that a kitchen one, and in any case seems most common in reference to the famous O-Bon festival. So, a story: in the O-Bon festival, so many *dishes* are broken that all the *parts* have to be thrown into a deep oceanic basin.
benefit
益 The benefit of having sharp *horns* and fast *legs* is that an animal can get to the food *dish* first.
steal
盗 you are so poor you dont know where your *next dish* will come from all you know is that you will have to steal it.
boom
盛 Japan`s economic boom turned their empty plates into full omori ones.
alliance
盟 In medieval Japan (during Sengoku Jidai) there was an interesting ritual to form an alliance between different samurai clans. The warlord, who wanted to propose to form an alliance to another warlord, would send him a big ceremonial *dish* with the *sun* drawn in the center. If the proposal were accepted, the second warlord would draw an image of the *moon* next to the *sun* on the same *dish*, and then return the *dish* to the first warlord. (not true story, but helped me to create vivid image)
oversee
監 The slavetrader #oversees# the slaves washing *dishes* int he kitchen. No *reclining* on the *floor*!
tray
盤 (see 1871) GENERALLY, TRAY'S are used for carrying DISHES/PLATES, but sometimes, poor kids use them a sleds.
blind
盲 Deceased eyes!
shield
盾 You paint 10 huge eyes on your shield to scare the enemy, but consequently your shield is so big and heavy that you have to drag it
diarrhea
痢 In Sweden, toilet companies conspire to give the populace diarrhea. For a country full of pay-per-use public toilets, sudden diarrhea is certainly the most *profitable sickness*!
stupid
痴 Stupidity=knowledge sickness. Or, Fred Flinstone wants to go to Dartmouth, but he is too stupid.
heal
療 Fred Flinstone starts a sacred bonfire to heal his hangover
healing
癒 Fred Flinstone joins the butchers meeting but to his horror discover everyone has heart disease.
mannerism
癖 *Caveman* has a bad #mannerism# of putting *ketchup* on everything he eats. I guess that's ok since raw mammoth can't be too good...
discharge
発 Pocohantas is on the blob. Time to leave.
ascend
登 *Mr Bean* ascends a *teepee*, which then collapses, flattening the American Indians trapped inside.
all
皆 #皆#さん、#みんな#さん, lets #all# *compare* our *whites*! This could be a line from a Japanese soap commercial or analysis the Republican presidential candidates.....
pelt
皮 To be honest, this is one of those cases where I have found it easier to "just remember it" as a radical, as it occurs so frequently: 彼（かれ him）波（なみ wave）and so on.
dish
皿 three dishes stacked side-by-side in a dishwasher
watch over
看 I picture a lifeguard standing in his tower with his #hand #over his #eyes#, #watching over# the swimmers below (might work better for Australians- picturing that distinctive yellow and red cap).
prefecture
県 After sticking a *fishhook* in your *eye*, the yakuza boss probably has *little* more to do to convince you to move to a different prefecture.
sleep
眠 "In an Orwellian sense, the *eye* watching the *people* never sleeps. Metallica lyric-people sleep with one eye open"
eyeball
眼 #*Eye*balls# made of *silver*. That's what they use to play pachinko with, isn't it?
don
着 To DON your sweater pull the *wool* over your *eyes*.
drowsy
睡 Hint : the *eyes* of *Droopy Dog* (see {垂}). When you are drowsy you have "*droopy eyes*". That is, you have *Droopy's eyes*!
coach
督 Creepy *uncle* volunteers as gymnastics coach so he can *eye* the team from below.
intimate
睦 God watches Mario.
wink
瞬 At the *whorehouse* a girl pulled down her *sunglasses* and winked at me with a *single massive eye* OMG SHE'S A CYCLOPS. Didn't stop me though.
pupil
瞳 In Japanese comics, the eye`s of juveniles all have enormous pupils. WARNING: This kanji only means the pupil of the eye. It can be confusing to use a story that has pupil meaning student in it. (greenapple + codexus)
halberd
矛 マオ Zedong always carried a halberd
dart
矢 Zeus ran out of lightning bolts and has to drop darts from the heavens.
know
知 I should *know*. After all, I did graduate from #Dart##mouth#!
short
短 *Mr Bean* in an archery contest, but brought *darts* instead. Every one of his shots ends up hilariously *short*.
rectify
矯 *Angels* have now been given a powerful tool to rectify human behavior instantly, without delay - they have been allowed to drop *darts* on those who misbehave... spare the *dart* and spoil the man...
polish
研 My *stones* are so huge that it takes *two hands* to polish them!
cannon
砲 Rather than a cannon, think of a catapult or trebuchet. Both these siege engines fire a large *stone* that is initially *wrapped* up or cradled in some fashion. 鉄砲 (てっぽう) : gun.
rend
破 Rock + pelt = rend. He then took a sharpened STONE to the PELT and rended it from the flesh.. 破る yaburu to tear or rip.
sulfur
硫 Sulphur IS a *rock*, but it often stinks like a *stream* of *infant* urine. It is the same color too!!!
stiff
硬 A stiff drink on the *ROCK*s after it *GROWS LATE* is a way to unwind after a long day...
Go
碁 The ignorant gaijin put a *rook* on top of his opponent's *stone* when playing Go, much to the consternation of the Japanese players.
tombstone
碑 An honest #tomb*stone*# reads: "R.I.P. Mark: A *lowly* peasant who really didn't accomplish anything".
assurance
確 To assure that no one will get into the Turkey coop, put a huge rock in the entrance!
magnet
磁 There is a rock that attracts gremlins like magnets.
grind
磨 Grind your HEMP on a STONE to prepare the marijuana that will get you stoned.
reef
礁 reefs are often formed from volcanic rock, or "rock that has been charred"
show
示 A boy made an *altar*, but he's afraid to show it to God because he thinks it's *two little*.
salutation
礼 "Indy, my friend, you must be very careful! If you approach the #altar# and do not give the proper *salutation* a large #fishhook# will rip you away".
company
社 Some Japanese #companies#, including Toyota, have a Shinto *shrine* on their *grounds* to bring luck and prosperity to the company and its employees.
fervent
篤 Careful: {烈}. According to WWWJDIC {烈} seems to emphasize a fanatical or violent aspect, while fervent is more deep, serious, or kind. Story: the fervent believer in healthy vegetarian food would only feed his *horses* the finest *bamboo* shoots.
simplicity
簡 The #simplicity# of *bamboo* plant is in all its joints being at equal *intervals*.
register
簿 Note : the keyword is not a verb, think of a record book. This *acupuncturist* who uses *bamboo* in place of flowers to dilute *water* into his patients (see frame 227), managed somehow to appear on the register of acupuncturists. Chances are, he won't stay on the register for long. My image is close to that of gorgon's story.
enroll
籍 Enroll in our school now and we will give you a Christmas Tree, some bamboo, and er, this McDonalds salad!
rice
米 88! Japanese people think of this Kanji as 88. Each grain of rice holds 88 gods inside. Anyway, that is the origins of this kanji. It's easy to remember: Each grain of rice holds 88 gods. 八十八 written as one character. just remember one 八 is upside down.
flour
粉 In the *United States*, *part* of every meal is made from flour.
chic
粋 Wealthy *American*s try to look chic by playing the British sport of *cricket*.
grains
粒 there's a contest...whoever guesses the number of grains of *rice* in a *vase* wins
hole
穴 A black hole is a "House of Infinity". Infinity is of course represented by a sideways "8", but here we have a Japanese "8" instead.
research
究 When I saw this kanji I had the instant image of scientists throwing a *baseball* through a *hole* and noting the 'results'. I found that quite hilarious, but well, maybe it's just me.
empty
空 *Hole-craft* is the *craft* of making *holes* that are filled with #emptiness# or vacuum (真空 (しんくう): vacuum). Normal holes appear to be empty, but are actually filled with air (空気 (くうき): air). 空港 (くうこう): airport 航空機 (こうくうき): aircraft 空 (そら): sky 空 (から): empty 空手 (からて): karate
stab
突 I stab your annoying *St. Bernard* and stare in shock at the giant black *hole* it leaves instead of a wound.
stealth
窃 I picture a stealthy thief cutting a round hole in the glass window to quietly unlock it.
plug up
窒 Take nitrogen oxide* and a plug up your hole for a better climax. But be careful, some people suffocate.
window
窓 The top primitive is similar to {1316}. So imagine breaking a window with your elbow and creating a heart-shaped hole. Punks do this regularly to show their girlfriends how much they heart them.
depression
窪 the depression in the ground become a trap: the *hole* was filled with *water* and covered with *ivy*
hard up
窮 Ok, picture a HOLE (well, more a pit trap) that SOMEBODY (well, a hunter with a BOW) just fell in. He's dangling over the HOLE holding onto his BOW across it. SOMEBODY finds it's HARD to get UP out of the HOLE. That great visual image should grant mastery of this (Melody: Hard days life: ) "It's been a hard up life, and im stuck here, in the HOLE. It's been a hard up life, I've got nothing, but this BOW "
kiln
窯 Be sure to put a *hole* in that ceramic *sheep* before you put it over the *fire*. Otherwise, it'll just explode in the kiln. (If you've never done ceramics before, it's important that the object have a hole in it, or this really will happen.)
dragon
竜 have you ever seen an asian DRAGON? it looks like an eel, but can stand up because it has legs.
juvenile
童 The juvenile stood on top of his computer and broke it. Noob.
edge
端 Have you ever seen those shots in movies where the hero is *standing* at the *edge* of a sheer *mountain* face, hair blowing in the wind? It probably wouldn't seem so heroic if you saw him ten minutes earlier, when a crew of stylists was carefully *combing* his hair so it would fall perfectly.
bamboo
竹 pandas like to eat bamboo. I'm using panda as the primitive name when it fits the story. ^__^
laugh
笑 he couldn't stop laughing after smoking some *Bamboo* *Heaven* the latest in cannabis ...
flute
笛 The troublesome boy used his bamboo flute in music class as a projectile weapon, firing brussel sprouts at various unsuspecting girls as well as the teacher.
bamboo hat
笠 The *bamboo* *vase* was beautifully crafted, but the tourist didn't know what it was and wore it as a little bamboo hat.
token
符 At the arcade, Mr. T *adheres* a *bamboo* rod to his token so that he can put it in the machine and pull it out repeatedly.
No.
第 The No. 1 currency in the world is the *dollar*. But, the Asian nations are fast catching up and may in reality have already surpassed it. So, let the *bamboo* represent the No. 2 currencies (the yen, etc.). The reverse order (*bamboo* on top and the *dollar* on the bottom) is really a look at the future.
bamboo grass
笹 The *bamboo* *generation* smokes bamboo grass.
writing brush
筆 *Bamboo* is the best material from which to make a *brush* if you want it to be a writing brush.
etc.
等 The *Bamboo Buddhist Temple* has bamboo buddhas, bamboo buildings, bamboo benches, bamboo beds, bamboo bowls, etc. etc. etc.
muscle
筋 Lifting BAMBOO STICKS is an old way for your BODY to put on lots of MUSCLE
cylinder
筒 Seriously, all BAMBOO sticks look the SAME, just long CYLINDERS. Should the story be more complicated?
solution
答 The solution to every problem? Bamboofit! Our new product is useful in many situations: when your friends talk too much? BAMBOOFIT! (shove it in their mouth) When your dog barks all night? BAMBOOFIT! Leaky faucet? BAMBOOFIT!
scheme
策 (Elaboration of jameserb's story:) A clever #scheme# from Wile E Coyote -- he ties one of those rubber *belts* to some *trees* and uses it to launch a *bamboo* spear at the roadrunner...
item
箇 You've entered in a chinese shop where apparently the only item in sale is old, dusty, *hardened bamboo* (for construction for example). It looks like these items have been there forever. Asking the clerk if anything else is available, he doesn't understand and instead asks - "Two items? Three items?" (the kanji is a counter for items) - thinking you want to buy something.
calculate
算 Tip : you may see this as an Abacus, which is used to calculate. This particular ancient chinese Abacus has *eyeballs* in place of beads, and its frame is made of *bamboo*. You'd be amazed at how fast people can calculate with this, especially if they can use *both hands* at once to move the ... *eyeballs*.
pipe
管 Japanese *bureaucrats* send all their messages through an inter-office *bamboo* pipe system.
box
箱 the best kind of BOX is made from BAMBOO sticks that are INTER-laced to make it air tight. Just picture such a box and you've mastered this kanji
node
節 (MechHawk) Bamboo is the fastest-growing plant on Earth (or so says Wikipedia), growing as fast as 2 feet in one day. Thus new *bamboo* #nodes# appear almost *instantly*
pattern
範 How about a serial killer who's pattern is to drive by the victim and club them with a bamboo stick. Finally he makes a mistake and drops the bamboo stick, which is dusted for fingerprints.
fabricate
築 *Bamboo craft*ing is a *mediocre* substitute for *wood* when you are #build#ing or #fabricat#ing a house. While it may look good and might attract a chick (ちく) or two, the kids'll (きず) just tear it to pieces as its not sturdy enough.
shoulder
肩 The shoulder is *part of the body* you use to push through the noren in a *doorway*. The noren hangs from above, and you push through it from below.
obese
肪 "*Flesh* in all *directions*" = obese
bring up
育 #Bringing up# your offspring means raising them from *infant* until they are *meat* ready to be harvested. What, cannibalism is in poor taste? Forget I ever brought it up. But #bring up# will forver be *infant meat* to me. I want my baby back baby back baby back ribs!
stature
背 Your STATURE is measured from the *northern* most *part of your body*.
womb
胎 If any *body part* deserves to be put on a *pedestal*, it is the womb from which new life springs forth.
placenta
胞 Imagine a newborn baby, fresh out of the womb, being entirely *wrapped* by the long piece of *flesh*, called a #placenta#, that once fed him.
bosom
胸 As you know, female comics *villains* are always *binding* the *flesh* of their bosom *up* in interesting ways. One has to wonder how these clothes stay on their body at all...
ability
能 The amputee has no hands but only stumps of *flesh* beneath his *elbows*. To give him the ability to eat he has *two spoons* implanted in his arm stumps, one in each side.
fat
脂 Supersize Me. 30 Day eating McDonalds make you fat. A month of eating {455} delicious food will make you fat. RTK2: シ 脂肪 しぼう(fat)
threaten
脅 Arnold threatens (in his hilarious accent) "I weell beeat yor puny *body* daowwn with my maaassive *triceps*!!"
armpit
脇 Here we have a brand new deodorant endorsed by *Arnold Schwarzenegger*. The deodorant has a logo with Arnold in three different poses. The idea is that you apply the deodorant to a particular *part of the body* (clearly the armpit) after working out, so that even if you don't like like Arnie at least you can smell like him.
vein
脈 The vein is the part of the body most lusted after by the flesh hungry zombies (drag & rag - see revenantkioku frame 1855).
shins
脚 shins are the *part of the body* that Japanese traditionally sit on *instead* of their asses.
undress
脱 [ #undress# = *flesh* + *devil* ] - those silly Puritans thought that every time they #undress#ed they were exposing their *flesh* to the *devil*
brain
脳 The brain is the part of the body that can give you the wisdom of the owl... or the wickedness of the villain.
dilate
脹 taking Viagra let's your blood vessels dilate...resulting in a *body part* getting *long*.
rot
腐 The #rotting# *meat* *adheres* to the *cave* walls.
arm
腕 Like in Memento, I tattoo my *address* on my fore#arm# *flesh* so I don't forget it.
loins
腰 the *body part* that has more "*needs*" than any other is the loins
intestines
腸 Taking things too literally, you used a real *piglet* as a *piggy bank*. Now when you smash it open to get your coins out, you have to dig out your coins from its intestines. ew.
abdomen
腹 The only #body# part that #doubles over#
skin
膚 New craze in China "tiger stomach", which is great for the skin.
swell
膨 Mystique swells her flesh into the shape of a big drum
entrails
臓 You signed your organ donor card, right? So, when you die, your entrails and other body parts will be placed in a storehouse.
retainer
臣 Help!
look to
臨 After a hard day's work, the slave "looks to" reclining on the goods (some comfortable sacks of rice for example, as he is not allowed to sleep in a bed).
climax
至 Sexual climaxes don't always happen on the bed; they sometimes happen against a wall or on the ground!
bullrush
蒲 The bulrush is a *flower* that grows around *bays*. http://www.meltonrossnewbarnetby.co.uk/images/bulrush.jpg
steam
蒸 Or, how to make steam. Get baby with water wings, put flowers on head, put baby on heated flooring...so *completely*/*water* for me will be a sort of *water sprite* or elemental, a *child-like* creature *completely* made of *water*. It used to be thought that to create steam, you had to trap the *water sprite* (using some sort of magical *flowers* as a lure), and place them over a thin piece of *flooring* under which there's an *oven fire*. The steam then *flowers* from the *water sprite* (re: fuaburisu)
amass
蓄 One sneaky farmer wanted to amass a large collection of livestock. We all know that cows like to eat flowers, so he planted lines of flowers leading to his own fields. The livestock followed the lines, eating the flowers one by one, and amassed in his field.
vine
蔦 Note : if you'll remember we already have a primitive for "ivy", but it was completely made up from the "square jewel" kanji. The kanji here refers to ivy, or vine, and is used in a particular compound for "Hedera rhombea", which is a type of ivy native to Japan. This vine here produces a lot of flowers, and attracts many small birds, which is sure to cheer up even the most depressed Japanese gardener.
storehouse
蔵 Slaves are being paraded, decorated with flowers in a rather ironic attempt of making them look happy in order to attract buyers. After the parade they are put back into the storehouse. - STOREHOUSE (for temporary preservation), storeroom
recommend
薦 We recommend feeding only flowers to a deer. We do not recommend feeding a bird to a deer. The deer will eat the head, but it's teeth are not sharp enough to detach the rest if the bird from its body. We can see a bone and some tail feathers sticking out te deer's mouth.
firewood
薪 Still giving *flowers* to that special woman in your life? That's so last year. Everyone knows now with the price of #fuel# that / "#Firewood# is the *new* *flowers*" / Go on, get some #firewood# today and make her Valentine's Day dreams come true.
fragrant
薫 Heavy truck drivers make their trucks smell even more fragrant and flowery by putting their lighter under the little flowery airfreshner
medicine
薬 New-age medicine involves using things like *music* and *flowers* (aromatherapy) as treatment.
wisteria
藤 according to legend, the great Ogaki wisteria tree grew and *flowered* from magical *rice grains* that were planted under the *quarter* *moon*
clan
藩 Like the Warriors. Water clan, flower clan, dice clan.
seaweed
藻 Let *wood*en *goods* = *furniture*. Then: Walking along the sea shore you see some washed-up *furniture* with *water* (waves) splashing against it. From a distance it looks like *flowers* are growing out the top, but as you get closer you see it is in fact seaweed.
tiger
虎 A zoo on a cliff too holds an unusual event to attract visitors-a fight between a tiger, and the Sven dwarves, who are decked out in Harry Potrer costumes complete with magic wands.
tyrannize
虐 Here we see the evil tyrannizing tiger. What is on his chest? A giant E, for EVIL, of course.
void
虚 In Japanese folklore there is no hell, but there is the void. There, a *row* of *tigers* waits in the blackness to devour those souls who have failed in their spiritual life.
captive
虜 Captive *men* are thrown to the tigers. I think you can imagine something else is done to captive women...
uneasiness
虞 You see a bug tiger over Steven Hawking and feel a little but of uneasiness.
insect
虫 The top part is IN as for INSECT. the bottom part is the arm in which the insect stings. (thanks Shibo)
rainbow
虹 rainbow is of course created by billions of colored *insects* (what? you really thought it was an optical illusion?). However I had problems remembering that the *insect* primitive goes on the left. If you have similar difficulties, try this: rainbow is an *Insect-Craft*. Mnemonic: #I.C. Rainbow# (I see rainbow)
mosquito
蚊 The Scotsman regrets going on holiday in his kilt. The insects are getting under his kilt...
silkworm
蚕 There are no *insects* in *heaven* - well, that is, except for #silkworm#s. What, do you expect Jesus to import his fancy robes from China?
snake
蛇 Picture leaning out of a window of your house feeding a snake insects from a spoon.
lightning bug
蛍 Q: Who's the smartest *insect* in *school*? A: The lightning-bug. Because he's so bright!
barbarian
蛮 The barbarian picks an *apple* from above and eats it even though there is a worm (*insect*) in it.
honey
蜜 When I think of honey, I think of a bee hive, which is a HOUSE that INVARIABLY has INSECTS.
butterfly
蝶 a butterfly is an insect that appears after spending a generation on a tree as a cocoon.
consult with
諮 Having a *word* with the *next mouth* over, like a neighbor, is usually a good way to consult with somebody for cheap. Because, you know, actual consultants charge huge sums.
person
人 Behold Mister T (of "A-Team" fame)! I chose Mr.T because he's sure to make amusing stories. He is a very versatile character since he's both the big, tough guy and the "moralistic" person, telling kids not "to do drugs or alcohol". He is easy to imagine, the heavy gold chains are probably the most prominent feature of the character. And last but not least you can always pepper your story with the famous line "I pity da foo!" * Fittingly, on the left side of the kanji, it looks like a "T".
humanity
仁 Mr. T shows his humanity by giving *two* bucks to every homeless person he sees.
Buddha
仏 *Mr. T* says, "I ain't afraid o' no foo! I'll give anyone an *elbow* to the face, I don't care if it's *Buddha* himself!"
attend
仕 Mr. T makes Tom Cruise do stuff for him
other
他 It's one or the #other#: fight *Mr. T*, or be thrown into the *scorpion* pit.
adhere
付 *Mr. T* says, "Foo, of course I don't sniff *glue*! I adhere to my own advice to not use drugs!"
hermit
仙 Mr. T isn't on TV anymore because he is now a hermit living in the mountains.
substitute
代 *Mr T* is brought on as a #substitute# in a football match. Somewhat unfortunately, someone from the crowd shoots an *arrow* at him, which hits him in the leg. Tough break, T! (交代, 代表) [NB: this kanji includes a meaning of 'taking turns']
orders
令 "These are your #orders#," declares the general at the *meeting* as he stamps them with his *chop-seal*. (Primitive: chop-seal imaged as a papal ring, the one's they would press into wax as their official seal. Also a cattle brand.)
by means of
以 A man earns his living by means of the plow. I imagine a sweating man dragging a bronze-age "ard" behind him as he plows his field himself, too poor to afford an ox.
provisional
仮 #MR.T# threw back a #PROVISIONAL# drivers license he was granted as he is #ANTI-#temporary licensing! I PITY DA FOOL that accepts a #PROVISIONAL# license.
both
両 Primatives *celing; belt; mountain* as per Cumulative Errata. See volfy post for link. Both effective ways to commit suicide, hang your self from the *celing* with your *belt* or jump off a *mountain*
row
並 This is a simplification of 竝, a ideogram of *two* people *standing* in a row.
shish kebab
串 This is a pictograph if ever I saw one. Two chunks of meat on a skewer.
cinnabar
丹 How about a rusty cinnabar colored dilapidated boat, found abandoned somewhere. The smoke-stack and the keel have fallen off...
from
乃 Pictograph, see book. This kanji, as a chinese character, is in fact the origin for the hiragana possessive particle "no". Try drawing this kanji fast, in a single stroke and you will end up with の
long time
久 Note: this is the ひさ in ひさしぶり . Long time no see *mummy*! (A bound up person)
of
之 The mark #of# 之orro!
destitution
乏 Just one *drop* (of alcohol) and he starts walking in *zig-zags* - no wonder *Zorro*'s living in destitution. (Note: As a primitive let 之 be *Zorro* or *Zig-Zag*: it's pictographic)
ride
乗 *Droopy* spreads his legs to ride a horse/motorcycle
beg
乞 Beggar with a hook for a hand lying down.
milk
乳 A *fledgling* is being nursed at a zoo, it is fed milk through a small tube that is bent in the shape of a *hook* (so that it fits inside its beak). The *fledgling* soon becomes addicted to milk, giving us this very catchy mnemonic: "*fledgling hooked* on milk".
drought
乾 During a #drought#, even *mist* is *begged* for.
tortoise
亀 It seems bizarre, but tortoises are a genetic cross with the head of a fish and the tail of an eel. Where the shell comes from, no one knows.
beforehand
予 This is the halberd beforehand, i mean: before you draw the hand (the last stroke of halberd).
contend
争 An ancient Roman gladiator #contending# for victory. Specifically he is the type of gladiator known as a "retiarius," who *binds up* his opponents with a net then goes in for the kill with his *rake*-like trident.
matter
事 This IS a laughing matter: *One mouth* getting smacked after someone steps on a *rake* - classic slapstick comedy!
mutually
互 The 69 position allows both parties to mutually give themselves pleasure.
well
井 When I'm stuck in the well, I play noughts and crosses
Asia
亜 In Asian countries, people use *II* chopsticks to get things into their *mouths*. Just imagine someone shoving a piece of sushi into their mouths with chopsticks.
deceased
亡 The recently DECEASED are said to hang their *hats* on a *hook* by the door to the afterlife.
mingle
交 My *father* puts on a *top hat* and tries to mingle.
sign of the hog
亥 A greedy hog in a top hat who has eaten all of the acorns. He even elbows people out of the way to get them.
faceup
仰 You are carrying a box of specially commissioned Mr. T stamps. You drop the box and all the stamps scatter on the floor. Every single one lands faceup. They stare at you in union. "Foo..", they all say.
go-between
仲 When negotiating a hostage situation, *Mr. T* acted as the go-between, or *person in the middle*, for law enforcement and the terrorist.
affair
件 Note: this kanji refers to event or case. Current Affair headline: *Mr. T* has affair with *cow*. "It's only animal 'man' enough for me".
responsibility
任 In {507}, the woman was the porter for the first nine months. Now, as a new father, *Mr.T* is assuming all the #RESPONSIBILITIES# that comes with it. Can't you just see him here as the new *porter*, wearing a harness with a his little dude (who already has a little matching mohawk)?
Italy
伊 Mr. T is so excited to be Italy! Wow!! He gets off the plane and sees what must be an Italian delicacy! Spaghetti on a stick! look at those huuuuuge noodles! T is chowing down. Meanwhile, the airport janitor is wondering why *Mr. T* is eating his *mop*...
prostrated
伏 Don't need a silly story for this one: prostration is when a person puts themselves in a low position like a dog, as an extreme gesture of humility.
protect
保 During a public service announcement broadcast, *Mr. T* opens his big *mouth* while sitting on the top branch of an enormous *tree* and yells, "I pity the fool who doesn't protect the environment!"
faith
信 *Mr. T* has faith in the *Word* of God. (Image: Mr. T kneeling and prayering in front of a bible. "Pity me, fool.").
discipline
修 Mr. T, Yoda, and Mystique all know what it takes to succeed: discipline.
haiku
俳 I pity the fool/ Who put me in this jail cell/ I pity the fool. (Credit taijuando)
bag
俵 *Mr. T* is so hard yet kind, he covers the *surface* of the sumo ring with straw bags so as not to hurt his opponents n
stipend
俸 *Mr. T* gets a #stipend# every month if he stays *dedicated* to his temple training, a very hard thing for the impatient T.
godown
倉 (Warning-this one is crude) Imagine a godown (dockside warehouse) where you can *meet* girls who will *godown* on you with their *mouth*. To keep the place a bit of a secert, they only have one *gate*.
individual
個 *Mr.* T is a *hardened* individual.
double
倍 You need a double *muzzle* to *muzzle* Mr. T
overthrow
倒 The A-Team are planning to overthrow the government. However, they can't do a damn thing until *Mr T arrives*.
climate
候 The *marquis* has absolutely no interest in issuses of climate change. He's old and near death. [Don't forget the *walking stick* to symbolize his old age.]
borrow
借 Mr. T "borrowed" my McDonalds salad
emulate
倣 The black slave who was {496} decides to emulate *Mr. T*, his role model. He uses his *compass* to head to Cali to start anew.
price
値 *Mr. T* is shopping for new chains. He knows what he wants and money isn't an issue. "Cut the jibba-jabba, tell me the price, *straightaway*!"
ethics
倫 Here *Mister T* discusses ethics at a *Panini sticker album convention* (see previous frame). See, according to Mister T, there is so much "double" stickers when you buy the pack of stickers, that it creates a lot of waster paper and such, and it contributes to pollution, and a waste of resources. Now most people nowadays would think of embryos and stem cell research when thinking about ethics, but hey, this is *Mister T*.
frugal
倹 *Mr. T* is as #frugal# as they come. He uses his one *ice pick* for everything: to eat, pick his teeth, clean his toilet, kill people, cook, etc.
admirable
偉 Chris Eubank thinks Mr. T is an admirable person.
partial
偏 Mr. T is very partial to hentai comic books. I know because he dropped a pile of them when I accidentally bumped into him at the door to kinokuniya!
halt
停 "Halt fool" - *Mr T* acting as a bouncer at the *pavillion*
healthy
健 *B.A. Baracus* *Builds* a healthy body
side
側 Mr T has his "rulez" tattooed to his side.
spy
偵 *Mr. T* is a terrible #spy#. He walks around *upright*. "Why should I hide?! I've got nothing to be ashamed of!"
versify
吟 A rapper is trying to #versify#, but sucks: Hickery dickery dock, the *mouth* spat out the *clock*. I'm gonna shoot you with my glock, if you don't suck my c***! #Versify#!
negate
否 To distinguish between 否 negate, and 不 {不}: Note that ne*gate* contains 口, which is a kind of gate.
include
含 (Based on erikkusan's story) For today's urban professionals -- who are so busy that they don't even have time to look at their watch -- this *clock* includes a *mouth* that will announce the time. Picture the clock; it's in the shape of a face, so the mouth is at the bottom. That should keep it distinct from {吟}.
suck
吸 An *open mouth* and *reaching hands* : a baby wants to suck at his mother's breast.
blow
吹 #Blowing# makes your *mouth* *lack* air.
display
呈 This is a pictograph of the flatscreen display used by the royalty - an LCD (liquid crystal display) atop a *sceptre*. (Mouth doesn't feature in this story because it's the order of primitives I have a problem with.)
give
呉 Stephen Hawking (mouth on a chair tool) is given a lot of help.
call
呼 I'm a lazy fisher, so I genetically engineered a *lily pad* with a *fishing hook at the stem* and a *mouth* to call me whenever it catches something.
fate
命 When you're born, your fate is measured, *fitted*, and *stamped* onto your soul. Good luck defying it.
harmony
和 The first step to harmony is having enough *wheat* to feed every *mouth* in the world. Once we are all fed it is easier to get a long in harmony. My idea of peace-piece of wheat in your mouth
blossom
咲 Old wooly mammoth mouths are used as vases for flowers in bloom
pathetic
哀 drunk pathetic guy, big mouth, top hat, scarf
philosophy
哲 A two-hour lesson of philosophy in high school. All the students, bored to death, are *folding* sheets of paper into planes, love notes or whatever, while the *mouth* of the teacher is talking about Platon, Kierkegaard and many other notorious philosophers.
tempt
唆 I named the right part legal prostitute has it represents a walker [walking legs] with the license. It's easy to imagine a legal prostitute tempting a man with her mouth.
lips
唇 I love *Bruce Lee* dubbing. His #lips# move, but sometimes words don't come out of his *mouth*.
T'ang
唐 (Based on matticus) The #Tang# juice was created in China in the #T'ANG# dinasty. The T'ANG emperor discovered that certain #cave#s walls had a very sweet smell, so he #raked# the walls of one of them and put the #rake# into his #mouth#. This way he discovered that tasty powder that nowadays is known as TANG juice.
solely
唯 Sadly my *mouth* gets to taste *turkey* solely on Christmas Day.
slope
坂 As the villain (pushed off by the anti-hero) is tumbling down the slope, he activates gadget skis to escape, spraying soil everywhere as he flies down the slope.
boy
坊 Boy scouts spend a lot of time on the *soil* with their *compass*.
two-mat area
坪 Use lily pads on the floor to measure two-mat area
droop
垂 Imagine looking through the sight of a hitman's *crosshair*. The bullet hits, a *drop of* blood appears on the target's shirt. The target drops his *walking stick* and starts to droop... finally hitting the *floor*. (I take '*silage*' to mean '*crosshair*').
mould
型 Did you know there's a street in Japan like Hollywood Blvd. where famous ninjas press their *hands* and *sword* (which are famously deadly) into the *sidewalk(soil)* to form a mould?
tenacious
執 #Tenacious#-D is *happy* band led by a *fat man*. (It's Tenacious-D time, ya muthaf*cka', gwaoh!)
cultivate
培 To cultivate the *land* is to tame it, control it. In short, you *muzzle* it's unruly, chaotic nature. 培う つちかう to cultivate, to foster; 栽培 (さいばい) : cultivation
fundamentals
基 Fundamentals of *chess*: use the *rooks* to protect your *ground*.
ditch
堀 Trench warfare in WWI: both sides dug ditches in the soil, and refused to yield to the other side.
hall
堂 A mound of *soil* on the floor of an *outhouse* is a primitive public hall.
strict / solid
堅 堅い ＊かたい＊ Hate to criticize Heisig, for I think the system he invented is genius. But I think some keywords need refinement. And this is definitely one: It means solid not strict! While a princess would offer her crotch only in a canopy bed, the slave offers his/hers on solid and hard ground. Because this is were slaves sleep and rest.
degenerate
堕 Any attempt to *possess* the *pinnacle* will degenerate into a land ("*ground*") war.
withstand
堪 The two equal chessplayers from the last two frames are duking it out still. Part of this extreme chess match is when the judges dump a huge mound of soil onto them. Watch as they withstand the weight of the dirt and how their brainpower keeps all the chess pieces, rooks and all, on the board. Simply astounding.
report
報 Recall the fashion model wearing just a *stamp* over his *crotch* ({服}). When he got *happy*, of course, it ended up in the news report.
location
場 You're looking for a good location to bury your *piggy bank* savings. It has to be in some soft *soil* that's easy to dig up, well hidden, and easy to rememger like this kanji.
fence
塀 [fence; wall; (kokuji)] A #fence# separates one *soil* from the other. On a large scale, large pieces of *soil*s in the world have a virtual #fence# called nation. Picture a world map where all countries have their *soil* with one color, their national *flag* as the legend and a #fence# on the borders... don't you think it looks like a giant *puzzle*?
bases
塁 Playing baseball in a *rice field* with *sparklers* stuck into the *ground* to act as bases
clod
塊 This word somehow reminds me of a golem... an *oni* made from *soil*.
model
塑 A legend says that if you model a *mountain goat* (with tail and everything) from dirt and leave to the light of the moon on the {朔}, the *dirt* will became *flesh*. (blackstockc)
paint
塗 The paint was too watery and dripped onto the scale and into the ground
hillock
塚 There's already King of the Hill. This is Queen of the #Hillock#. It's *Ms. Piggy* sitting on top of a mound of *soil* in her *crown*.
salt
塩 in the old days, salt was a worth alot, so it is not surprising to find someone *reclining* on the *ground*, *mouth* to *plate*, getting every last grain of that delicious salt.
boundary
境 This is an old trick to keep out migrants. You put a bunch of dirty mirrors on the boundary of your land and theirs. When they approach the boundary, what they see in the mirror is their own land and someone that looks like themselves, only dirtier, so they figure your country isn't any better than their own and they head back home.
increase
増 The amount of Land belonging to The Artist Formerly Known as Prince increases with his fame. --- Thanks dingomick!
crash
墜 One of the members of our air force *regiment* has been shot down; he managed to safely eject, but his plane crashed into the *ground*.
tomb
墳 After the eruption all is a tomb. The soil has covered the remains of the farmers gathering *haystacks* and of the fisherman collecting *shells*
groundbreaking
墾 Pepe le Pew uses his silver medal to churn the ground
wall
壁 Eating spicy ketchup, wipe your mouth with a white flag...ooh, Japanese flag! #Wall#(dingomick); Did anyone else used to put ketchup packets on the *ground* and jump on them so they spattered on the wall?
podium
壇 A man on the podium announce the rules for the contest: You must fill a *top hat with dirt as many times* as you can by *nightbreak*
demolition
壊 If you stand too close to a DEMOLITION site, the dust might sting you like NEEDLES in your EYE and get your GARMENTs all DIRTy.
lot
壌 On the island of JOU, in order to be considered a lot, a *ground* must be big enough to grow sufficient grass for a *grass skirt*.
voice
声 Having lost his voice, the samurai comunicated to his troops with a striped flag.
I (one)
壱 (British snobbery etc) For one to be a real GENTLEMAN, one must have been born either to the CROWN or with a (proverbial) silver SPOON in one's mouth. 壱万円 いちまんえん 10,000 Yen.
penetrate
徹 Ha! In this frame, a bunch of taskmasters are lined up to penetrate the kids they raise/bring up! I'm thinking of some priests and choir boys.
heart
心 こころ！
invariably
必 You swear you'll be in love forever, but invariably there comes a time when your *heart* is *divided*. A stake through the heart invariably kills a vampire. (As a primitive this can take the meaning 'vampire').
mourning
忌 Remember the tale of Cleopatra? She was MOURNING the loss of her Marc Antony, so she placed the asp SNAKE to her HEART.
endure
忍 A ninja must be able to endure the pain of clinging to a ceiling, motionless, for hours at a time, waiting for just the right moment to drop down and thrust the *blade* of his sword into the *hearts* of his enemies. By the way, this character is used in the compound 忍者 (*ninja*) which is why I choose to use *ninja* as its primitive meaning.
intention
志 A *samurai'*s #intentions# always come from the *heart*.
forget
忘 To forget means that something perishes from your heart
busy
忙 ^^^Make the "state of mind" primitive *Data (from Star Trek)* instead right now and save yourself the headache; 'state of mind' is too vague! (*Data* can stay so #busy# as not to sleep without *dying*. He's a robot).
apply
応 Employer: "Are you sure you want to apply for the *caveman* position?" Applicant: "With all my *heart*!"
loyalty
忠 True loyalty comes from the *center* of your *heart*.
cheerful
快 Data is cheerful as he goes to the guillotine. That's because he knows he can just solder his head back on afterwards.
wish
念 念 【ねん】 (n) sense; idea; thought; feeling; desire; concern; attention; care; (P) STORY: As you can see, with all the above definitions of his kanji, all of them are just how your HEART (mind) FEELS and DESIRES in a certain point in time. That time being NOW.
angry
怒 This *woman* is angry because of the guys in the previous frame who pay more attention to her *crotch* than her *heart*. I prefer to decompose the kanji in three elements here because it is easier to read like a mnemonic.
dreadful
怖 Data wearing white linen pretending he's a ghost. "Am I scary? Is it dreadful?"
think
思 To think is to use your brain over your heart.
neglect
怠 While standing on the *pedestal* at the award ceremony, the recipient *heart*lessly neglected to mention the people that got him there.
hurry
急 She was always *bound* to a *broom*, her *heart* pounding in a hurry to finish before she was punished for being slow.
sex
性 Data has a primitive gender recognition system. Drinking a nama-beer=male
grudge
怨 I had a little #grudge# against my ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend...so I ripped out his *heart* (like in indiana jones and the temple of doom) and then I left it in her *mailbox*
suspicious
怪 Imagine a loud farting sound on The Enterprise (sorry). Everyone looks around trying to find who did it. The one looking most suspicious is *Data*. His *soiled crotch* gives him away.
romance
恋 A childhood romance: a boy takes a *red apple* to school to try to win the *heart* of his beloved.
fear
恐 If your heart surgeon is mediocre in his craft, you have plenty of reason to fear. ("Oops, I think I left my scissors in there")
constancy
恒 *Data* is the epitome of #constancy#. As a robot, his consistency *spans* the entire day.
shame
恥 Vincent Van Gogh's greatest shame was cutting off his *ear* to win the *heart* of a woman. 恥じる\t【はじる】\tto feel ashamed 恥ずかしい\t【はずかしい】\t shy, ashamed, embarrassed 恥辱\t【ちじょく】\tdisgrace, shame, insult
resentment
恨 Data feels resentment towards the T-1000
grace
恩 Grace here is a favor freely bestowed, like a good deed. So to remember this kanji, go to the local shelter, find a *big dog pent up in a small cage* and adopt him. That will *cause* a warm feeling in your *heart*!
respect
恭 Noah feels like he gets no respect from the other passengers on the Ark, but they all make him Valentine's Day cards to show how much they respect what he's done for them.
breath
息 Your breath brings oxygen in through your *nose* which is then pumped around your body by your *heart*.
favor
恵 Too easy. Imagine the Wizard of OZ. There, the three heroes asked the Wizard for three FAVORS: the lion wanted courage of TEN men, the scarecrow wanted a BRAIN, and the tin man wanted a HEART. Ok, the lion bit is stretching but you have it memorized now, so who cares?
repent
悔 One must repent of *every* sin to achieve a peaceful *state of mind*.
enlightenment
悟 *Data* finds #enlightenment# when he discovers the answer to the question, "Who am *I*?". (Image: *Data* meditating in a sitting lotus position).
various
諸 When you pull the string at the back of *Chucky*, he will *say* various things. "Hidey-ho! Ha ha ha!" "Hi, I'm Chucky. Wanna play?" "I'm going to eat your liver, bitch!"
advance
進 I think of the first South Park Thanksgiving episode, where the genetically engineered *turkeys* go on a killing rampage. Picture them #advanc#ing up the *road*, chasing panicked Chef and the boys.
elude
逸 *Bugs Bunny* eludes Elmer Fudd by pretending to be *road*kill.
consummate
遂 This is still Miss Piggy only she's gotten *horny* (as she often does) and now she's *pursuing* Kermit to help her consummate her desires.
slow
遅 You're on the *road* and see a road worker waving a big *flag* that says, "slow, *sheep* crossing. Immediately you think to yourself, "damnit, if I go this slow I'm going to be #late#." (#Late# being the more usual meaning of this kanji.)
interview
遇 This kanji means "to entertain" or "to treat," not interview such as a job interview. STORY: With Pinocchio turned into a real boy, JIMINY CRICKET is out of a job, and has to ENTERTAIN people on side of the ROAD for food.
play
遊 The BANNER warns that CHILDREN PLAY on the ROAD.
everywhere
遍 Go down any *road* in Japan and you'll find *konbini hentai* #everywhere#.
overdo
過 In 'American History X' Edward Norton's character #overdoes# it when he makes the dude that tried to steal his car lie face down with his *jawbone* open over the pavement of the *roadway* and then stamps on the back of his head. My teeth still tingle when I think of that!
accomplished
達 Cover the *road*kill *sheep* with *soil* before the farmer sees, we drive off, mission accomplished...
difference
違 Chris Eubank on the road singing What's the Difference
distant
遠 lidded crock wearing silk scarf on road in the distance
dispatch
遣 *Bond* has stolen a lady spy's *purse* while she was asleep after their evening together. When she discovers it's gone, she dispatches some henchwomen on the *road* after him to dispatch him, but *Bond* seduces them and escapes with the *purse*.
suitable
適 Think of the term from televison "suitable for all audiences" to get the sense of the word. What program could be more suitable for the whole family than the "*antiques* *road*(show)".
encounter
遭 *Bender the cadet* (see frame 1172) has an "encounter of the third kind" on the *road*. Reference to Steven Spielberg's 1977 movie "Close Encounters of the Third Kind". Also a reference to popular stories of people reportedly chased by UFO's while driving on the road.
intercept
遮 Robin Hood was a COMMONER who INTERCEPTED rich people on the ROAD.
abide by
遵 No devils brew on the road.
transition
遷 Since the days of the *Old West*, traveling has transitioned from trying not to step on *big snakes* to driving on *big roads*.
elect
選 There were so many *snakes* on the *road* to *Noah's ark* so they had to elect which two would represent the *snake* species. Afterwards the two snakes stand on top of the ark and gloat looking back at all the snakes that will die on the road.
bequeath
遺 Bilbo bequeathes the "PRECIOUS" to Frodo, who will carry it on the long ROAD to Mordor.
evade
避 A giant Heinz Tomato *Ketchup* truck crashed on the road, spilling giant globs of ketchup everywhere. They didn't close the *road*, but you have to evade the globs of *ketchup* as you drive.
send back
還 Road of the ring.
home country
邦 He reminisced about his home country: "Ah, back in my home country, the *bushes* grew so high that they covered the *city walls*!"
wicked
邪 As everyone knows, rhinoceroses and elephants are often killed for the value of their TUSKS. Here we see a WICKED city mayor who has had countless elephants killed just to make his CITY WALLS out of TUSKS.
residence
邸 suggestion- since we have the pinnacle on the left(which had a great potential for imaginative stories as we explored the ultimate society), the right side will be the pinnacle's opposite - the slum. It's so dangerous that a steep menacing city wall has been erected to keep its denizens in(and protect those outside). Story: If your calling card said your residence was the slum, you'd be too ashamed to show it to anyone.
outskirts
郊 the country folk and and the city folk mingle at the outskirts of town, just past the city walls.
son
郎 The *daughter* is a good girl that grows up to be a woman. The son is a *good* boy that grows up to defend the *city walls*.
county
郡 No county for *old boy*. Old boys playing county cricket. A six is when you hit it over the city walls
section
部 Within the *city walls*, this section of town was so noisy that we had to *muzzle* them up. This section of Rio during World Cup and Olympics was muzzled up.
enclosure
郭 (primitive city walls - slum. See residence 1841) In the slums, the city walls enlose everyone within. Some of the tall kids reckon they can clamber over the enlosing city walls, but even they fail.
郵 *Droopy Dog* delivers the #mail# by walking along the *city walls* and throwing it to the people below.
hometown
郷 Peter Parker never left the city walls if his home town until his jar turned silver.
metropolis
都 To protect itself from Chucky a #metropolis# area built *city walls* to keep him out. Unfortunately they were too late and everyone died because the new *city walls* meant people couldn't escape from *Chucky*.
sign of the bird
酉 The sign of the bird on this whiskey bottle is of course the Famous Grouse blended Scotch.
bartending
酌 At the local pub, their bartending practises are unusual. They serve the *whiskey* by pouring it from a *ladle*, like one would from the punch bowl.
distribute
配 To DISTRIBUTE *WHISKY* during Prohibition you had to be as sneaky as a *SNAKE*.
sake
酒 Sake is just watered down whisky
drunk
酔 In the 90s I drunk a lot of 90• proof whiskey
vinegar
酢 I spent ages *saw*ing that *whiskey bottle* open, but when I got in, it had all turned to vinegar!
dairy products
酪 The makers of Bailey's Irish Creme *add* dairy products to *each* of their *bottles of whiskey*, creating one of the most delicious alcoholic beverages known to mankind.
repay
酬 Imagine a different kind of tax refund - instead of money, the state repays you with whiskey.
fermentation
酵 Since *filial piety* is all about respecting ones elders, and the older a *whiskey bottle* is (i.e. the time it have spent undergoing fermentation) the more respect you should give it, the meaning of this kanji becomes clear. If it doesn't, sink back some whiskey and it will.
cruel
酷 It's cruel to pour alcohol down a cow's mouth.
acid
酸 The *prostitute* carries an old *whiskey bottle* filled with #acid# to throw at any difficult Johns.
ugly
醜 Drink enough *whisky* and not even an *oni* looks ugly any more...
brew
醸 On the troical island of JOU, they brew *whiskey* while wearing *grass skirts* (top hats and scarves too). (Image: the strangely dresses islanders stirring a pot of brew. Careful {酵}).
interpretation
釈 Because several other stories can involve footprints ({践}, {跡}, {止}, {肯}, etc.) I prefer to use *animal droppings* here--two *drops* among the *wheat*, or one *drop* among the *rice*. Story: Archeologists at a dig site discover fossilized *animal droppings* with a *shakuhachi* flute embedded inside. They puzzle over the #explanation#. One expert's #interpretation# is that the whistling attracted a hungry animal to the village, who promptly devoured the player and flute in one gulp.
heavy
重 To me it looks like a car with two extra wheels, like a truck. As it is a very heavy vehicle I suggest an image of a huge mining truck, like the yellow Liebherr T282B. Remember that the first "wheel" is a bit bent. http://www.primidi.com/2004/06/21.html
plains
野 Think of plains in contrast to hills, mountains, and skyscrapers. A saboteur breaks into the military *computer* complex. Wearing *gloves* to avoid leaving fingerprints, he types a few codes into the *computer* that unleash the nuclear weapons on the target city. The target city, formerly a varied landscape of hills, mountains, and skyscrapers, is instantly flattened into level and barren landscape: plains.
dull
鈍 the metal hook is too dull to even pierce an earthworm....
small bell
鈴 *President Bush* has a small bell. It's made of *gold*. And everytime he has an *order* to give, he rings it to summon someone to write it down.
iron
鉄 Iron is a* metal* that gradually becomes *lost* due to oxidation and rust.
lead (metal)
鉛 Picture the molten *lead* (the heavy *metal*) being discreetly drained out of the factory into a *gully* behind.
mineral
鉱 *Elbonium*: a new mineral found in *wide caves* shaped like elbows and made of metal.
silver
銀 My primitives that I use for the next bunch of stories: the right hand side is the *T1000* from Terminator 2, which is silver, and evil. The character for *good*, which Heisig says is a halo, is the *Tin Man* from Wizard of Oz - a separate character entirely, keeps it clearer. And the char for *eat* is the *Tin Man wearing a bib.*
gun
銃 "Everyone is allotted a metal gun" (US constitution according to the NRA)
copper
銅 I can't believe no one has used this one yet: #Copper# is *metal* which looks almost *the same* as *gold*. Really, look it up on Wikipedia, it's yellow and it's shiny (atleast in some compounds)!
pointed
鋭 Pointed is the metal devil's pitchfork
casting
鋳 Casting things in *metal* improves their *longevity*
steel
鋼 On the trail up *Mount Fuji*, the curators have put up *metal* railings for safety in some of the otherwise hazardous parts of the climb. The particular metal they used was stainless *steel*, so that it wouldn't rust in the rain and snow.
spindle
錘 I love this one! It's a classic cartoon episode! The theiving wolf takes the *golden* #spindle#. Then *Droopy Dog* takes the #spindle# away from him, thwaks him on the head with it and rolls him up on it.
tempering
錬 Tempering should be done with the *metal* facing *east*. (If not, the metal may pick up the earth's magnetic field)
confused
錯 I was confused when I found a piece of *metal* in my *McDonalds salad*.
record
録 For the combination of broom+rice I'll use Curling http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curling where the stone has been replaced with an onigiri rice ball (thanks Katsuo). So here, the Canadian team is recieving a GOLD medal for breaking the world record for points scored in CURLING.
forge
鍛 As a discriminating metalsmith, I use the highest grade metals when forging such precision devices as staple guns and missiles.
sickle
鎌 The sickle was one of the choice weapons of the stealthy ninja. Made of sturdy *metal*, it could function *concurrently* as an apparently harmless farming tool, as well as a lethal weapon in combat, as well as a grappling hook. (True story)
chain
鎖 The chain on this chainsaw is made of *little* *metal* *shells*.
mirror
鏡 Mirror (radical) The little Mermaid STANDS in front of the MIRROR the whole DAY admiring her HUMAN LEGS. Mirror (character) For all the GOLD in the world the Little mermaid cannot be the person she saw in the MIRROR.
bell
鐘 The METAL bell rings to call the JUVENILES to class.
specimen
鑑 The *overseer* tags his favorite slave with *gold* earrings. "Ah, what a fine specimen!"
gates
門 Saloon doors or Bill Gates.
closed
閉 Weird sound to say the shop is closing: 3rd Eye Foundation "ohhhhhhhhhhhh ohhhhhhhhhhh oooooooohhhhhhhh"
open
開 Sure you can squeeze through these *gates* by kicking them or pushing them with your body, but if you want to get them wide open, you need to do that with *both your hands*.
leisure
閑 Imagine the *gates* the Garden of Eden, the ultimate land of leisure. You're not allowed in, but if you peek through you can see *trees*.
interval
間 The sun passes through the gates at regular intervals
connection
関 *Bill Gates* and the *woolly mammoth* gazed longingly at one another. Bill squeezed her hand gently; "Do you feel it? The connection? It's... electric." The mammoth blushed, twinges of anticipation and fear coursing through her heart. Could they really start over? She didn't want to get hurt again, but the connection was still so deep; so real. She looked Bill in the eyes: "Don't you break my heart again Bill." "I love you, baby. Let's go back to my place. I'm going to get Pleistocene on your fat a**.".
tower
閣 The Diet is a big tower, containing different levels of cabinets (upper house, lower house) Abe is on the top floor. To make it to the top you have break through the gates on each floor.
clique
閥 If you want to join the clique, you have to fell Bill Gates
review
閲 A little *devil* at the *gates of hell* reviews your record to see if you're evil enough to get in.
fight
闘 During the saloon brawl, one guy got *glued to a table* and was tossed out *through the saloon gates*. But he really wanted to fight, so he ran back through those gates (with the table still glued to his back) only to be tossed out again. Imagine him repeatedly running in and being tossed back out.
Heights
阪 If you're scared of #Heights#, you don't want to stay at *The Pinnacle*; you are *anti-* *The Pinnacle*. Primitive: *The Pinnacle* is a dream-like gated cult community at the top of a mount. This allows for innumerable stories for all the kanji with this primitive since you have a whole city to work with. Also prevents confusion with "mountain".
ward off
防 A giant compass is *The Pinnacle*'s self-#defense# system. It points in the direction of any invaders so the city is prepared well ahead to ward off the intruders.
thwart
阻 In a last ditch effort to #thwart# the invaders of *The Pinnacle*, they push glass *shelves* over the edge onto their heads below.
Africa
阿 A kinda pictogram: 'BoT', the first 3 letters in 'Botswana' an African country.
affixed
附 A sign was AFFIXED on the PINNACLE of the Acropolis so that tourists would ADHERE to the rules.
descend
降 (NB: The so-called "sunglasses with a lens popped out", ヰ, is the katakana for the now-obsolete syllable "wi".) The #DESCENT# from the *PINNACLE* is both the most difficult and most exhilarating part of the walking race. The contestants DESCEND from the *PINNACLE*, their *WALKING LEGS* moving as fast as they can. The *WI*nner crosses the line screaming I "*W-I-I-I-I-I-I-I*-n!"
limit
限 The speed #limit# at *The Pinnacle* is posted on *silver* signs.
highness
陛 "You're nothing but *dirt* when *compared* to me" said His Highness of *The Pinnacle*.
Inst.
院 Here at the Pinnacle's institution, you will learn how to be perfect. Relax.
camp
陣 Note: This kanji is most often used in a military context. Story: Here we see an en#camp#ment of military *vehicles* laying siege to *The Pinnacle*. With other countries being envious of the perfect life they lead there that makes sense. Fortunately, the pinnacle knows how to {防} enemies.
exclude
除 To become a member of *The Pinnacle*, they test you on a *scale*. If you weigh *too much*, they #exclude# you.
collapse
陥 *The Pinnacle* is supported by pilings which were *bound up* in *olden times*. One day when the bindings rot away, the whole thing will collapse.
auxiliary
陪 Juries in the pinnacle have to wear muzzles to make sure they don't speak about the case. When people ask them "innocent or guilty", all we can make out is a muffled "auxiliary"
shade
陰 At the Pinnacle, a clock counts down to the daily rising cloud. At this point, all of The Pinnacle is enveloped in shade.
line up
陳 Every morning at *The Pinnacle*, the residents line upon the *East* side for morning stretches and leisure.
mausoleum
陵 At the top of the Pinnacle there is a mausoleum said to house thePinnacle's spiritual leader. One night you go there and break in... there is a stuffed toy of Toad from Mario Kart
pottery
陶 At *The Pinnacle*, traditional pottery is done by *binding* up a bunch of *tin cans* into whatever pot shape desired.
land
陸 (圥 is the rare kanji for a mushroom. Sticking out of the *ground* like little knubby *legs*, it's pretty easy to remember.) Story ~ The land around *The Pinnacle* has *mushrooms* covering the *ground*.
precipitous
険 It's so hard to get into the Pinnacle through the front gates, people try to use ice picks to climb the precipitous slopes round the back.
sunshine
陽 At the Pinnacle, they use solar collectors, sun piggy banks, if you will, to capture the sunlight. The sun goes in through the little coin slot and believers at the Pinnacle believe it stays inside.
corner
隅 Oh how the pious fall from their lofty *pinnacles*! *Jiminy Cricket* now deals drugs on the street corner.
hump
隆 Rule at the Pinnacle. No walking and drinking nama-beer
regiment
隊 Every regiment of *The Pinnacle*'s army has a horny *Miss Piggy* doll for when they wanna get jiggy
story
階 *All* buildings of *The Pinnacle* are multi-#storey#. They don't have much room, so they have to build up. It sucks when someone presses *all* the buttons on the elevator! You have to stop at each #storey#!
follow
随 Follow the possessing road. Follow the pinnacle road. [Image: Follow the `Yellow-Brick Road' to success] The *pinnacle* signifies your personal goal and destination. What you're seeking to *possess* lies at the end of the yellow-brick *road*. You must follow the road to get what you want.
isolate
隔 Sadly, since the Pinnacle is isolated, they have no modern technology. Their only means of photography is an old camera. What's that? Forgot how old cameras work? Let me show you: Light is captured through the lens (one mouth), the photographer is in a giant hood, all you can see out of it are his human legs. He holds his flash controller(a spike) in hand.
occasion
際 On occasian, *rituals* are held at the very tip of *The Pinnacle*.
hinder
障 The officer at the gate to *The Pinnacle* with a giant *badge* sewn to his chest hinders all visitors. But not the #handicapped#. They're hindered enough already. They're given a *badge* and can pass right into *The Pinnacle*.
conceal
隠 Everything looks calm at the Pinnacle. What are they trying to conceal?
neighboring
隣 All the neighboring communities to the Pinnacle have a major problem. The kids at the Pinnacle have a habit of throwing down rice from the city walls in all directions, so people in neighboring communities are forced to wear sunglasses all the time in order to avoid getting rice in their eyes.
slave
隷 The *samurai* sits on the *altar* and watches the #slave# *rake rice* all day.
vessels
隻 On Vessels that travel long distances, sailors often get quite lonely. They keep TURKEYS on the VESSELS, but not for use as food. The lonely sailors take turns enjoying the turkey's CROTCH.
male
雄 Surely you remember {563}? In that kanji, we said *stop*/*spooning*/*turkeys*, spoon #females#! Here, once again, my buddy is looking at a *turkey*. What the heck is his problem? I give him a sharp *elbow* in the *side*. "Dude, be a man!" I said. "Where's your MASCULINE side?"
gracious
雅 To not confuse it with {恩} or {淑}, think of the phrase "Goodness gracious." Like: "Goodness gracious! A *turkey* with *tusks*!"
gather
集 Every November, the *TURKEYS* GATHER atop the *TREE* as if they know what's to come later in the month.
employ
雇 Comedy. An executive is having an argument with a cocky, but skilled, employee: "Damn it, you might be good. But that don't account for your behavior. You keep this up and I'll fire your ass." "No, you won't." "What damn it, I'll fire you your ass so fast you won't...know..."-. "And what will you do after you fire me, employ the next turkey that walks through that door?" A turkey then walks through the door and hands the Exec his resume. --"The Exec employs the turkey that walked through the door"
female
雌 Stop | spooning | turkeys. Spoon females
miscellaneous
雑 Newscast: "Among today's miscellaneous stories, we have a report on a *baseball* team that was chased up a *tree* by a *turkey*. Stay tuned for this and more!"
detach
離 I'm surprised no one has worked Oddjob, the *villain* from the James Bond movie, Goldfinger into their stories. He's the big oriental guy that killed people by throwing his *top hat* at them. He practises his technique on turkeys, detaching their heads in the process. Being an assassin, he can also kill people by garroting them with his *belt* or smashing them with his *elbows*.
difficult
難 Learning Kanji is difficult for Turkeys
snow
雪 SNOW isn't all that different from *RAIN*, except it can be removed with a *BROOM* because it only forms in freezing temperatures
atmosphere
雰 *rain* can ruin the romantic atmosphere in a *minute*
zero
零 Bush orders rain
search
捜 With its fingers, a monkey searches its crotch for bugs to eat.
discard
捨 Someone stuck their *fingers* in my *cottage* cheese! I'm going to have to *discard* the lot!
harp
琴 Two bored *kings* looking at one of their *clocks* while being forced to listen to a harp performance.
sutra
経 In economics class, Spider-Man lets time pass by designing bog rolls with Kama sutra pictures on the spool.
slender
繊 *Spiderman* has to stay slender, so during *thanksgiving*, he keeps away from the long *row* of food.
drum
鼓 How about *Mr. Beans*, disguised as a *samurai*, that plays the drum with a *branch* ?
nose
鼻 Heisig's story works fine... Someone reaching into somebody's #nose# with *both hands* pulling out his *brains*.
age
齢 `What is your age Mr President` Bush opens his mouth and starts counting his teeth. (You role your eyes and expect him to say 32) `62` Bush says. Did he pull a joke on you are does he have trouble counting?
dragon (old)
龍 Feed meat to the dragon, which lives in a vase. It likes to eat three snakes, but it's dangerous, so you use a slingshot to feed it.
old boy
君 君[kimi] is said by the old boy to the younger boy, otherwise it would be an insult and someone would end up with a *mop* to the *mouth*. (Thank you Raseru)
legitimate wife
嫡 legitmate wifes tend to be women who are antiques in contrast to the young bit of illigitmate fluff on the side.
lass
嬢 LASS is short for *LAdy-in-a-skirt-made-of-graSS*
suppose
存 how do you suppose they manage to cram a genie inside a bottle? Well, I suppose they put him in there while he's still a little *child*...
filial piety
孝 This *child* has taken filial piety to the next level. He is actually carrying the *old man* on his shoulders.
seasons
季 IMAGE: http://wp.me/p41sca-A -- You can tell between the four seasons by looking at what type of wheat the children are carrying on their heads.
orphan
孤 An orphan grew up with a load of melons. Bit like Winston from Shipwreck
grandchild
孫 Your #grandchild# is the child of your *DNA*.
home
宅 This kanji is, of course, pronounced "taku", and it seems the owner of this home is a little bit otaku himself. He has hung up *locks of hair* suruptitiously obtained from various females all over his *house*. A veritable hair fetishist, and certainly someone whose home you wouldn't want to visit.
eaves
宇 Means universe. Think of episode from friends when the girl wanted to go to space camp, but broke her leg. Ross and Chandler made a space camp in the house and used potatoes to resemble planets.
religion
宗 I never really did figure out what religion my host family was - all I knew was that they kept an *altar* in their *home*.
bureaucrat
官 Life as 007 is quite dangerous. Ready for a new life, we see *James Bond* trading in his gun so he can stay at *home*. Here he is sighing sadly before he heads off for another day as his new job as a bureaucrat. [dingomick]
mid-air
宙 Hahaha, the image of walking into a *house* and finding a sea of *brussel sprouts* floating mid-air is enough for me to remember. Maybe there's a magician in the kitchen shouting a reassuring "Don't mind the *sprouts*!"
address
宛 For the primitive: This is a hi-tech Japanese *mailbox*, it automatically lights up in the *evening*, and has a biometric *fingerprint* scanner. Your address should be displayed on your house and mailbox.
best regards
宜 It seems like every time my Japanese friends send me their best regards, they accompany them with a gift. Over time, I've gotten so many that I had to buy a *second house* which contains nothing but *several fancy shelves*. Each shelf is dedicated to a certain friend of mine and contains every last one of their presents.
reality
実 Reality show. Bee-gees house.
room
室 You book a room in a love hotel called "*Climax House*".
Shinto shrine
宮 A friend of mine made up a rhyme for this one: "house with a spine, Shinto shrine"! This Shinto shrine is built with human spines. Have you ever seen the ossuary in Sedlec, near Kutna Hora in Czech Republic ? It is a small church entirely decorated with human bones. Do a web search for "sedlec ossuary", it's quite a sight.
superintend
宰 Superintendant Chalmers is dining at Principal Skinner's *house*. He takes a bite of his meal which is unbelievably *spicy*. His wig pops off and he yells out: "SKINNERRR!"
harm
害 Harm is being done all throughout the *house* that *Peter Pan* lives in. Him and all the lost boys are all putting things they aren't supposed to into their mouths! (thanks dingomick) I'm going to call this the lost boys house.
house
家 Think of "The Three Little Pigs". There was a *house* made of straw, another made of sticks, and a third made of bricks, each occupied by a *pig*. So, naturally, *housetop* over *pig* means house, the central element of that story.
contain
容 imagine a house big enough to contain an entire valley. might want to live there. And now imagine cleaning it. . . . Maybe not . . .
inn
宿 The Toyoko Inn can house 100 people or 1 Mr. T
loneliness
寂 Pedo Uncle lonely in his house.
sign of the tiger
寅 Poor guy with little legs trying to paint the sign of the tiger on his house with a sprout
secrecy
密 Think of a a hermit who yearns for privacy and secrecy...his *house* is *invariaby* built deep in the *mountains*.
cold
寒 You make a bird house out of *celery* so birds can just eat it, but you can tell when it's *cold* coz you can see *ice* and little *animal legs* sticking out
lie down
寝 while the *maid* in our *house* was #lying down#, I touched her *crotch*, but there was half a *turtle shell* covering it. Nice foresight girl!
guess
察 Police (警察）drive around a street at night trying to guess whose house is having a matsuri indoors after complaints from the neighbours
widow
寡 The new widow sits in the *house*, her *head* in her lap (the extended stroke), her *dagger* in her husband.
bullet
弾 Hooters girl trying to shoot bullets with a bow
hit
当 Some mothers use a *small broom* to hit their children when they misbehave and play their Atari's for too long.
shape
形 Two hands and play-doh=any shape!
lad
彦 A naughty young #lad# stands on the *cliff* and throws his *Playdoh* off the edge.
coloring
彩 *Mystique* the shape-shifter changes the coloring of her skin to camouflage tones and perches herself in a *tree* like a *vulture* waiting for her pray.
carve
彫 (Primitive: *shape* - when you were three you played with *Play-Doh*.) 彫: Did anyone else use the *circumference* of the *Play-Doh* container to carve circular *shapes*?
patent
彰 New laws against shapeshifters force Mystique to wear a badge with her name on no matter her form.
shadow
影 An artist is trying to make a real time play-doh sculpture of some of the famous *scenery* of Kyoto out of *play-doh*, even going so far as to add some black play-doh to depict shadow.
duty
役 Japanese kamikaze pilots (and the American from Dr. Strangelove) are so devoted to their duty that they *go* with their *missiles*.
he
彼 (+dihutenosa). Is there anything more HE-MANLY than wearing a *bloody baby seal pelt*? *Lance Armstrong* things not, and runs one (a baby seal that is) over with his bicycle. You can see the tread marks on the poor baby seal's pelt. He's a right bastard, that Lance.
journey
往 During the Edo Period (江戸時代), the shogun required the Japanese *lords* 主 to spend every other year in the capital, requiring them to *go* 彳 on long and expensive journeys. 往復 *oufuku*, round trip (#journey# + restore).
subjugate
征 America seeks to *GO* and *CORRECT* other nations. But really what they do is subjugate them...
diameter
径 Suggestion: Replace "spool" with "toilet paper/roll". Reasons: (1) *Toilet paper/roll* usually comes on a *spool*. (2) *Toilet paper* is used to clean the *soil* off your *crotch*. Story: Measure the diameter of a *column* (maybe Nelson's Column in London?) using a roll of *toilet paper*. Spool also appears in {715}, {716}, {717}, {1360}
wait
待 Lance Armstrong is doing a bike race in Japan but the Japanese cyclists are no match. He is so far in the lead that he decides to wait for the other racers to catch up at a buddhist temple on the side of the road just to make things interesting.
rhythm
律 Having trouble keeping your rhythm as you brush your teeth? What you need is *iBrush*, apple's revolutionary new rhythm-keeping electronic toothbrush! Soon it will be the law!
behind
後 Lance Armstrong being followed by tiny Baby Spider-Man walking behind him
gradually
徐 Ever since he's stopped doing Tours, *Lance* has been gradually gaining weight. See him cringe as he steps on a *scale* and sees it gradually go up!
junior
徒 I'm not sure where Heisig gets the junior keyword, but this kanji is more often used in the sense of either futile (e.g. 徒労 - fruitless efforts) or group(gang) member (e.g. 聖徒 - disciple, キリスト教徒 - Christian). I'll use gang member for this one. The junior #gang member# is going to represent at the running competition.
accompany
従 You are *going* along your travels when you come across a poor Oni on the side of the road (http://www.printsofjapan.com/images/Oni.jpg) with broken *horns*. You *mend* his *horns* and then he *goes* with you on your journey, #accompany#ing you wherever you go to a happy cheery song medley. What a great movie montage! And what better (#ac#)#company# than an Oni! (From Cerulean)
gain
得 LANCE ARMSTRONG got up at NIGHTBREAK to put GLUE on the other competitors' wheels, and thereby GAIN an illicit performance boost. [Streamlining Django]
honorable
御 Lance Armstrong being polite at Costco. Go-mewaku, Go-ryoshin, Go-steroids
restore
復 Lance Armstrong took the wrong road by accident, laid down his bike, and then it took him all day and hard leg work to double back and eventually restore his lead. [edited version thank you to Doodsag]
sequential
循 This is mostly used in the word 循環, "circulation" (of buses through their routes, of blood, etc). So I think of a column of little Roman soldiers with their shields marching sequentially through the veins of a person, as an anthropomorphization of the immune system.
delicate
微 Here we have a taskmaster who orders a #mountain# to #go# away. The mountain is so frightened that it sprouts two little delicate #legs# and gingerly walks away. Be sure to imagine the legs as really tiny and the mountain as really big so the delicate-ness is there.
benevolence
徳 Darth Vader was put in charge of the benevolence fund. He stands holding a bucket with a big heart on it as the column of soilders passes by. Everyone contributes.
indications
徴 If you see a *column* of *kings* being marched up the *mountain* under a *taskmaster*'s whip... indications are, there has been a coup.
shake
振 Bruce Lee has Parkinson's. First sign is in his fingers
insert
挿 The left side of this kanji looks like a pictograph of *one thousand* yen note inserted into vending machine slot (the - 日- element looks like slot). The rest is easy to visualize.
set
据 The man #set# his *finger* firmly on the map and said "Here is where the old bitch *resides*, I am certain of it".
sweep
掃 [Tough part of this one is remembering the fingers.] Imagine a housewife with apron and broom sweeping a bunch of fingers on the floor.
chafe
摩 If you grind the *hemp* without a stone but use your *hand* instead it will chafe. (Image: "Robin, why are your hands all chafed?" 'Uh... (I've been grinding hemp all day)')
alms
施 "#ALMS# for the poor" cries the beggar under his tattered BANNER. An evil bastard instead drops a SCORPION into his begging bowl.
trip
旅 The boat starts to leave on it's trip across the Atlantic. Underneath a huge *banner* that spans the width of the ship and says "Bon Voyage", the people wave their *rags* signalling a safe journey for all on board the Titanic.
rotation
旋 Don't confuse with revolve or axis! Think of rotation as a rotation of animals in the *zoo* - some are on display (in rotation), some are in cages in the back (out of rotation). The ones currently in rotation (on display) are advertised with a large *banner*.
tribe
族 With a *banner* declaring "Keep Out!" and blow *darts* to back it up, the Amazon tribe is not that friendly.
national flag
旗 The national flag of Croatia. It's a *banner* with the Croatian coat of arms, commonly referred to as the *Chess*board (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coat_of_arms_of_Croatia).
previously / already
既 Previously on Hell's Kitchen... the waitress tried to steal the silverware. We've already seen this a thousand times!
delicious
旨 [ #delicious# = *spoon* / *day* ] - the ice cream was so #delicious# I could eat *spoon*-fulls of it all *day* long
Esq.
様 Here we have the requirements to be counted among the ranks of the noble Esq. You must posses a *forested* estate, herds of *sheep*, and granary full of *grains of rice*
camphor tree
楠 We traveled to *southern* Japan just to see a camphor tree. It's what we #came for#.
profession
業 For the primitive, I am using Bart Simpson's hair. It stands up atop his head and sticks up like the primitive. Story: anyone with BART SIMPSON'S HAIR is NOT YET ready for a real profession. A ごうry profession. Abattoir worker. Cows in a row upside down, not yet Sausages
poles
極 Bizarre expedition to the Poles. You find a mouth and a crotch decayed but still preserved
watchtower
楼 *Rice* above *woman* is the character 娄, which can refer to a constellation. (Mnemonic: The stars of the #constellation# are like grains of *rice*, forming the shape of a *woman* in the sky.) 娄 also appears in {929} and {2221}. #Watchtower#: A wooden #watchtower# lets you get a better view of the *constellation*.
music
楽 Practicing for the 1988 Olympic Ceremony. Sparklers instead of the torch, music plays, a tree for the plinth, a dove on top of the tree....
outline
概 A murder has been commited. A corpse was found under a *tree*. The police chalks the outline of the victim, an old *silvered*-haired *waitress* working at a restaurant nearby.
posture
構 I fell out of a *tree* and broke my neck. So they put one of those white *funnels* around my neck to correct my posture
vat
槽 *Bender the Cadet* is found on an army training exercise, hiding behind a *tree*, getting drunk on the famous scotch whiskey Vat 69.
length
丈 Both a meter and a yard are about one arm-length.
bestow
与 high *5*! And bestow me *one* low!
moreover
且 *Moreover* is a literary term to *shelve* what you had just been talking about, to come back to it later.
hill
丘 think of a billboard for a new housing estate called 'Axe Hill'. The sign has, in big letters, "welcome to AXE HILL" with "axe" underlined in red! DO NOT confuse with Point {岳}, Hillock {塚} or Large Hill {阜}.
third class
丙 In this third class flight, the seat*belts* are so bad that with the slightest turbulence all the *persons* hit the ceiling. (it's almost pictographic here!)
fell
伐 At a *fiesta*, Mr. T tries to knock down a large pinata, but in his overly enthusiastic swings to get "the sucka," he actually FELLS the tree the piñata is hanging from, crushing some party goers. "I pity da fools who got crushed by my FELLED tree!"
rest
休 *Mr T* resting by a *tree*
meeting
会 At a meeting looking at the walls.
transmit
伝 Mister T transmits a message with rising clouds (smoke) signals, to a nearby American Indian tribe. The smoke signals spell : "I p-i-t-y y-o-u f-o-o !".
chief
伯 If *Mr T* was *white* I am sure he would have been commander in chief of the USA, he just the sort of clown Americans love to vote for. (NB: I tried with the indian chief motif but kept adding feathers by mistake)
consort
伴 *Mr. T* wants to splits himself in *half* so he can be his own CONSORT.
expand
伸 Mr. T wants to show you the incredible expanding monkey trick. He grabs a monkey by the tail and neck, stretches him out a few times, then blows him up like a balloon. The monkey EXPANDs until it pops. Haha, sucka monkey, I pity you foo.
pay respects
伺 *Mr. T* is the *director*. You better #pay respects# to him! Strange to see Mr. T being polite to his manager. "Chotto ukagaitaindesuga...foo'"
similar
似 You can #become similar# to *Mr. T by means of* a sweaty *plough* (your skin will get darker and your body will get more muscular).
however
但 Most people go to bed at *nightbreak*. However, *Mr. T* does not. He does not sleep, he waits.
rank
位 Mr T ranks first position in the stand-up competition (doing knee flexions). Just picture him doing hundreds of these while the rest of the participants are already completely exhausted after a mere hundred.
lower
低 Following johnskb, I imagine that as Mr. T is exchanging business cards he gets in a little game of one-up-manship, Mr. T and the other guy are each trying to bow lower than the other, finally they both pretty much end up on the floor. "I pity da foo who can bow lower than me!"
dwell
住 When *Mr T* shows people round his #dwelling# he takes a big *candlestick* (with a candle in it!) so that the light shows off his collection of bling bling jewellery
assistant
佐 Mr T's assistant is on his left. Why? Because Mr T has this bad habit of suddenly extending his right arm (what with all the boxing that he did), and his assistant got inadvertently punched in the face more than once (ouch). So now his assistant is always to his left side, much safer - "Stay on my *left*, foo!"
body
体 *Mister T* works out his body (body-building), using two piles of *books* (i.e. an exercise that can be done at home with two chairs, similar to push-ups but working mostly the shoulders, trapezius and triceps).
what
何 What can Mr T do? `You mean: what can`t MR T do, you fool`
too much
余 Carry your baby potatoes home using your umbrella. But it weighs too much and breaks.
make
作 *Mr T.*'s favorite magazine is #Make#. He loves to #make# things. But he's a purist: he only uses *saws*, no power tools.
excellent
佳 Bill and Ted are walking through medieval Europe when they see a humongous *square jewel*. "#Excellent#!" they both yell. But only after grabbing it do they realize it is chained to the neck of *Mr. T*, who grimaces angrily at them. "Bogus!" they cry, and totally run away.
join
併 *Mr. T* furiously joins the *puzzle* pieces together in an attempt to join Mensa, the high-IQ society. Just join the pieces , foo!
use
使 *Mr. T* #uses# the *officer* (Napoleon) as a punching bag.
example
例 Mr T shows the example to the kids, and stays in the file (at supermarket, ...). "I pity da foo who does not follow my example !"
waiter
侍 The A-team tries to disguise #Mr. T# as a *waiter*. It would have worked too, except that he was to go undercover at a #Buddhist temple#. "I pity da foo sent me to a #Buddhist temple# dressed up like a *waiter*!"
submit
供 It took over 600 frames for *Mr T* to {作}, the *Ark*, but when he was finally done, he cast his saw aside and submitted the *Ark* to Noah for his approval. "I pity the foo who doesn't climb aboard this ark," said Noah to his friend.
reliant
依 Mr T is reliant (depends on) on his garment (the gold chains).
value
価 Mr. T has a high value in the Old West because you see him in "Wanted" posters all over the place! (thanks fiminor)
scorn
侮 *Mr. T* has scorn for *every* fool.
marquis
侯 Who wants to play darts, asks the Marquis. I'll beat U, foo', answers Mr. T.
encroach
侵 "I pity da fool who encroaches on me". *Mr T.* is dressed as a *French maid* (= *broom + crown + crotch*), working undercover at a hotel that has a problem with guests misbehaving towards female staff.
convenience
便 When it *grows late*, and *Mr. T* needs a *shit*, he goes to the *convenience* store
person in charge
係 *Mister T* gets a *DNA* test, and discovers that he was meant to be the person in charge after all.
stimulate
促 MR T gives lazy people a good swift kick with his LEG to STIMULATE them to action.
sagacious
俊 The entire town wants to get rid of *legal prostitutes*, but the sagacious *Mr T* realizes that they are a benefit to the economy and society. So he lets the sa-geishas stay.
vulgar
俗 MR T yells out a vulgar word so loud, it echoes through the VALLEY
accidentally
偶 New primitive: #swatter# (I carry it arround on my *belt* like a weapon and use it to smash *insect*'s *brains* out - NOT true irl, I love all animals!) --- Story: *your person of choice* #accidentally# hits you with their *swatter*: "Sorry, there was an insect crawling around on you, I swear!"
falsehood
偽 Mr. T calls out the guy who claims to have seen a dodo bird.
bystander
傍 The bystanders watch as Mr T knocks out the Burger King. He *stands on the crown* and promises to take the franchise in a new *direction*: organic food
greatness
傑 Wise * Mr. T* says greatness does not come from giving out shades (*sunglasses*) but from planting *trees* to shade everyone.
umbrella
傘 a pictograph: 4 people sheltering under one big umbrella.
equip
備 Mr. T wants to climb up and pick the flowers at the top of the cliff. He equips himself with screwdrivers to use as climbing spikes to reach the top of the cliff. Imagine a large AMMO belt full of philips screwdrivers instead of bullets.
sponsor
催 *Mr. T* sponsors *mountain* *turkeys*
bond
債 [bond; loan; debt] *Mr. T* buys a lot of high risk bonds and then *blames* his broker when they all plummet in value.
wound
傷 *Mr T* is *laying down* wounded, his broken *piggy bank* nearby. Who could have done it?
lean
傾 Referring to the movie "The Elephant Man" by director David Lynch, here we see Elephant Man leaning on his bed, wishing he could *change his head*. He knew very well he could not lie down, for he would die unable to breathe, and thus he always slept leaning on a few cushions.
work
働 *Mr. T*'s real line of #work# is for a *moving* company called Schwarzenegger's Heavy Movers
statue
像 The statue of liberty is being replaced by a statue of *Mr. T* riding an *elephant*.
me
僕 A husband wanted to look like Mr. T so he put in his Bart Simpson hair hat and painted it black. What you doing foo'?, says T, and slaps the guy. 'Aint nobody look like me'
colleague
僚 Trivia: The right primitive is *kagaribi* - 尞 - *fuel used for sacrifices*. I would use *sacred bonfire* as a primitive . (Mnemonic: Top is a merged image of *big* and *fire* - *big sacred bonfire* that looks like *little sun*). Story: Your colleague got fired literally... in a *sacred bonfire* by Mr.T.
Buddhist priest
僧 *Mr. T* and the artist *formerly* known as Prince, who by the way is a buddhist, want to form a new heavy metal band. Instead of "Judas Priest" they will be called "#Buddhist Priest#"
ceremony
儀 *Mr T* at his wedding *ceremony* party, drunkenly croons the *Righteous Brothers*, with the hotel band. "Whoooa...My Love....My Darling..."
hundred million
億 A representative of the United States Mint has come up with the *idea* of using *Mr. T*' face for a hundred million dollars bill. According to experts, one hundred million dollars is the worth estimate for any one of Chuck's ideas.
Confucian
儒 One day, *Mr. T* started reading the little proverbs he found in fortune cookies, and with this newfound wisdom he became a Confucian scholar. He was suddenly in *high demand* as people came from all over to ask for his sage advice, immensely satisfied with suggestions such as, "You will find happiness with a new love"
reparation
償 Mr. T received a huge PRIZE for the world fighting championship, but he had to give it back to the organizers in REPARATION of the damages he did to the arena and to the other competitors
tenderness
優 *Mr. T* and *Hamlet* singing "Try a Little Tenderness"
license
允 License. You can lose your boxing license if you throw *elbows* or *legs* during a fight.
allot
充 An infant at the maternity ward is alloted a new pair of human legs, because his are not grown properly or absent. Picture the "lot" as a parcel, placed near the infant, to be used later. The "lot" of human legs has been alloted by some doctor, to be used later. Mnemonic "infant alloted new pair of human legs". Note: to allot means to apportion by lots, it has the same root as the word "lottery".
excuse
免 ''#Excuse# me.'' Jessica #Rabbit# walks past you, *bound up* in a colorful equinned dress in which her voluptuous *tatas* are sublimely complemented by her long *legs*.
party
党 Politicians in the Tory party deliver so much bullcrap, they might as well be outhouses on legs.
enter
入 Pictograph, see book. * As a primitive, using the image of going through a door, even one that stands alone with the frame and no wall around, helps flesh out the primitive "enter". Or door knob?
whole
全 The fat *king* hogs the whole space under his *umbrella*.
public
公 I always *enter* the doors to the public restrooms with my *elbows* because I don't want to touch the door with my hands.
together
共 The character for {洪} gave me the idea to use together as a primitive for *Noah's Ark*. Noah kept plenty of *salad* on board to entice the animals with their *animal legs* to scurry on board together, two by two.
soldier
兵 The army is breeding genetically modified soldiers with *animal legs* especially suited to *hill* warfare.
code
典 Think "codex" (mnemonic help) or "code of laws", or even Leonardo Da Vinci's code. Here I see a codex as a *tool* used to *bend* the masses into submission. Picture a huge codex book lifted down on crowds to bend them down in submission. Another: if you *bend* to the code without asking questions, you are a *tool*!
empress
后 This is *ax* with the last stroke replaced by a *mouth*, thus forming a pictograph of someone about to have his *mouth* chopped off for spreading rumors about the empress. "Off with his *mouth*!" [Thanks raulir!]
concurrently
兼 Our ninja hero, disguised as a gardener with a *rake*, is suddenly attacked from both left and right concurrently by bulls with *animal horns*. Our hero lets out a blood-curdling scream and tears his rake handle vertically in half, so he now has two wooden staffs (*split rake handle*) to fight with. He grips each staff (left side and right side) and rams it into the horns of the charging bulls. The force of each charging bull causes the tips of each staff to split again (*split bottom of each rake handle*).
inside
内 *Mr. T* even wears his big WWF *belt* when he's inside.
circle
円 The shape of a Yen coin.
tome
冊 A pictograph of The Lord of the Rings Trilogy viewed end on: All *3* tomes held together with *one ribbon* - "one ribbon to bind them all".
again
再 (I thought this was easier to remember as king with a belt) As the king gets fatter, his belt needs to be adjusted again and again.
copy
写 A *crown* was *bestowed* to the British royalty museum, but it was only a copy. A crown is bestowed upon each Burger King patron, why not? It's just a cardboard copy.
winter
冬 Struggling on your two walking legs up an icy hill
cool
冷 *President Bush*'s drink isn't cool enough, and the Whitehouse is out of *ice*. "Time to invade Alaska!", *President Bush* says. "But sir... we already own it!"
quasi-
准 An iced turkey is only quasi-as-good-as fresh turkey.
frozen
凍 *Eastern* Siberia is often frozen by *ice*. According to wikipedia, Yakutia (in Eastern Siberia) holds the record as the coldest town on Earth. Check it out yourself...it made it stick for me!
congeal
凝 Gwen Stefani blood is clotting. She uses ice to treat it
villain
凶 *Death* as a primitive for {刈}, {希}, {殺}, {区}) uses a sword (刈) on kings, a scythe on ordinary folk, and a *shovel* on #villains#
exit
出 Suddenly, a *cactus* comes out of the ground with a sign that reads: exit. Now you can leave the desert! (Note: giving this primitive the meaning 'cactus' can be useful later)
bin
函 (thegeezer3) Damn racoons... I'll show them. I'll put a SNARE in the BIN as well as a few SPARKLERS so as to scare the shit out of the buggers, then hit them with a SHOVEL.
part
分 When something is *entered* by a *dagger*, it ends up being cut in several #parts#.
reap
刈 Sheaf? No. This is the sign of the X-Men. I'm going with Wolverine on this one.. Wolverine reaps the bad guys with his saber-like claws.
publish
刊 The newspaper pages are hung on the *clotheseline* to dry and then cut down with a *sabre* to be #publish#ed.
punish
刑 In Arab countries they punish theives by cutting off BOTH HANDS with a SABRE.
file
列 A line of skeletal warriors, all armed with sabers.
first time
初 "This is the first time we've been out of the Shire, Mr. Frodo!" Says Sam, covering himself with his cloak and clutching his dagger.
judgment
判 In the bible, King Solomon's JUDGMENT was admired not by saying to cut the baby in HALF with the SWORD, but that it revealed who the true mother was.
profit
利 1. Steal a bunch of wheat from a wheat field by cutting it down with your saber. 2. ????? 3. Profit!
arrival
到 http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/7731/karatesd3.jpg Just look at this image...
system
制 I used Heisig story here but i tweaked it a little. It works better for me if i imagine the belt is around the tail of the cow, cause that it what it looks like in the kanji.
printing
刷 The image that keeps coming to me is of the giant mechanical printing presses. The *cloth*-based material is coming off the roll like a flag and then, after printing, gets cut into sheets by *saber*-like cutting tools.
ticket
券 in Japan, the JR railway ju-hachi-kippu seasonal discount ticket can be cut into *quarters* with a *dagger* and shared with your friends. (its actually sort-of true).
thorn
刺 A TREE with a BELT wrapped around the middle. If you tighten the BELT, hundreds of tiny SABERS pop out of the tree in all directions, looking like THORNS.
engrave
刻 This famous ninja (I always use ninjas with *sabres*, distinct from samurai) used to engrave the kanji for his name onto *acorns*, and throw the *acorns* to distract his enemies. The legend goes that by the time his victims would pick up the *acorn* and read the engraved kanji, they were already dead.
divide
剖 Divide and Conquer: Shut 'em Up and Cut 'em Up
sturdy
剛 Mount everest is very sturdy, you can hit it all day with a saber and it wont even wobble.
saber
剣 If it helps, make the awl primitive #ice pick# instead. They're basically the same thing. This kanji is an easy David vs. Goliath story of the #icepick# vs. the *saber*...
dose
剤 When my medicine dose is way too large, I adjust it by cutting it into smaller symmetrical pieces with my saber.
surplus
剰 If there is a surplus of people on the *ride,* they may just need to get rid of a few passengers using a *saber*
proportion
割 Direct proportion. 'The ammount of *harm* inflicted is in direct proportion to the size of the *saber*,' said Crocodile Dundee. 'That's not a *harmful* *saber*, #this# is a *harmful* *saber*.
officer
吏 *One* officer, namely Napoleon, changed the course of *history*. (Thanks, ayoung24). Napoleon is also my primitive meaning.
genesis
創 Creative rock band Genesis is having one of their first concert in front of a *godown* somewhere on the docks in Japan. This being their first concert together, you may think of it as the "genesis" of the band. The Yakuza are not happy with the crowd gathering on the shady docks, so they chase after people with *sabres* (katana) to scare them away from the docks, and their illegal operations going down there.
drama
劇 A great Indian #drama# acted out every year is how a poor Bengali boy fended off the *tigers* from his *pigs* using only a *sabre*.
power
力 As a primitive, I chose Arnold Schwarzenegger. Picture him saying California with his powerful accent (KA-lee-fornia).
achievement
功 The great #achievement#s of humankind, were *crafts* completed by *muscle power*: the pyramids, the Eiffel tower, etc.
add
加 If you eat anymore, you will be adding more カロries. (katakana karo)
inferiority
劣 I have an inferiority complex because I have *fewer* *muscles* than everyone else at the gym. They all look like *Arnold Schwarzenegger* (power) to me.
help
助 Here we see a *shelf* so heavy that even *Arnold Schwarzenegger* doesn't have enough *muscles* to handle it and needs some help! Picture *Arnold Schwarzenegger* puffing and huffing, with a *shelf* leaning against his back, and desperately asking for some help.
toil
努 Guy + Power: To reach a position of power in the company, the average guy has to toil very hard for many years.
encourage
励 See the most-starred story in {514} for an easy way to remember this one. --> That same famous *cliffside* in Japan at which *10,000* people died ... together, we have the *power* to do something about it ... let's encourage the government to take action!
labor
労 Kindergarten Cop.
merit
効 Once again Heisig makes a keyword that doesn't make much sense. The real meaning is #effect#/#efficacy# (take your pick). My dad tried out both wearing a top hat and doing some body-building for his muscles to see which was more efficacious .
censure
劾 *Acorn Power* is the people's way to CENSURE a congressman you don't agree with. Pelt governor Schwarzenegger with acorns.
imperial order
勅 Queen Bungle and King Schwarzenegger order some pizza.
courage
勇 A #MA# （マ） raises a #man# to have courage.
exertion
勉 Bugs Bunny working on his leg muscles trying to lift Arnold Scwarzenegger
move
動 Arnold Schwarzenegger moves in a heavy truck.
intuition
勘 This is Chessboxing, a mashup sport in which #intuition# has a *tremendous* importance : it determines your whole strategy. Do you think you can beat your oponent on the chessboard ? Then by all means, chop his rook's legs. Is your oponent your equal at chess ? Then *muscle* your way to victory on the ring! Follow your #intuition# !http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess_boxing
task
務 Taskmaster defeating Schwarzenegger with a halberd
victory
勝 Playing quarters with Schwarzenegger. After your victory he pounds your flesh.
recruit
募 Picture Arnold Schwarzenegger wearing an Uncle Sam hat pointing and shouting "We want you" (more like "vee vont yuu") to recruit you in the ongoing battle against the graveyard zombies. This is actually more of a publicity stunt for his next action thriller, and by recruit he really means extra for the film End of Graves
forces
勢 Mario and fat kid join forces to take on Schwarzeneger
diligence
勤 To look like Arnold Schwarzenegger takes cabbage and dilligenxe
persuade
勧 mnemonic "*pegasus* #persuasion# *power*". I think of the hippogriff from Harry Potter as being like a *pegasus*. To befriend a hippogriff, you have to persuade it you mean no harm, you can do this if you have "*pegasus* #persuasion# *power*"
meritorious deed
勲 Arnold Swarzenegger drives his heavy monster truck through the fire to rescue the people. He is appropriately rewarded for his meritorious deed.
not
勿 This kanji is NOT a piglet.
monme
匁 "Dude! What happened to your arm! It's all bound up!" "Yeah man, it's a bummer... with my arm like this I can only lift one monme!"
wrap
包 The *snake* *bound up* its prey by #wrapping# his body around it.
change
化 Referring to a scene in the movie "The Matrix" where a girl bends a spoon with the power of her mind alone, I imagine *Mister T* who changes a *spoon* into something else (maybe the waiter forgot to bring knives or forks). Note: as a primitive, it can help to use the image of "spare change", this can help you keep it distinct from other similar kanji such as "shape" or "turn into".
artisan
匠 Most people don't know that one of the most revered #artisan#s in Japan preserves the ancient art of cutting *cardboard boxes* with an *ax*.
equal
匹 This kanji is used commonly as a #counter for small animals#. This is a pictograph of a SMALL ANIMAL'S view from inside a CARDBOARD BOX looking out at his masters HUMAN LEGS. He's probably hiding so the master does not COUNT him with the other animals which will probably be eaten (thus he avoids everyones EQUAL fate on the farm: the kitchen table).
ward
区 In the homeless #ward# of the city, *Death* lives in a *cardboard box* [dingomick]. It's just another attempt by *Death* to understand humans, along the lines of its antics in *Mort*. (I use Terry Pratchett's *Death* as a primitive for {刈}, {希}, {凶}, {殺})
doctor
医 The #doctor# puts the *cardboard box* on his head and throws a *dart* at a chart to determine his patients' illnesses.
hide
匿 This kanji doesn't really mean #hide# in the sense of hide and seek. It is more towards the meaning of hiding one's identity. --------------------------AKA #anonymity#————— Schools are getting so strict now about personal identity, that they make *young* children keep #anonymity# by making them wear *cardboard* boxes over there heads.
half
半 Imagine karate chopping the number three in half with a WALKING STICK and pausing the picture just as the first "board" breaks.
lowly
卑 vulgar, cowardly, low-class- Sh*t for brains gang of 4....卑しい【いやしい】greedy; vulgar; shabby; humble; base; mean; vile 下卑【げび】vulgar; coarse 卑しむ【いやしむ】to despise; to disdain; to scornn卑しめる【いやしめる】to despise; to abase (oneself)
graduate
卒 Ph.D graduation for assembly line of doctors(*needles*) with the cap and tassel(*top hat*). It took them *10 years* (Bachelor's, Masters, PhD) to get there.... :-p
co-
協 *3 times Arnold* (Schwazzaneggar) asked his co-workers to cooperate and give him a *needle* (syringe) of steroids (into his tricep), but each time they refused to co-ooperate.
south
南 In the south (Southern Alabama, Southern Africa, picture any south, but choose one and stick with it) "they measure *happyness* by the *belt*". If someone has a larger belly (and a longer *belt*), it is believed they are well fed and thus are *happy*.
simple
単 A girl who was working at *Hooters* thought she was going to be fired because her breasts were too small. She went to an acupuncturist who convinced her that planting *needles* into her *brain* would increase the size of her breasts. Of course, all that did is she was fired and although she wasn't very smart to begin with, now she's simple-minded for life. As a primitive let this kanji be "simple-minded blond girl" (ex-*Hooters Girl*). Keep the image distinct from "Hooters Girl" (top 3 strokes).
stamp
印 before sticky backs, they had to staple stamps to letters
dangerous
危 You're *bound up* by ropes to an *unlucky* person. It's dangerous, because whatever happens to him will happen to you too.
instant
即 he scratches off the *silver* *stamp* and discovers that he is an instant winner
instead
却 [instead; on the contrary; rather] *Gone* is the time for *stamps* - use e-mail #instead#.
egg
卵 The *Easter Bunny* dropped an #egg# on my desk and got yolk all over my *receipts* and *stamps*.
wholesale
卸 A *horsesaler*; A horse as a wholesaler: It *stamps* every contract with its *horse-footprint* (horseshoe) since it obviously can't write with its hooves.
unlucky
厄 Seeing some finger prints at the edge of a cliff, I wondered who that unlucky person was.
stern
厳 This represents a stern looking owl, perched up on a cliff. This cliff is quite famous for daring individuals to cliff dive off of, but is any of them daring enough to threaten the owl?
gone
去 "Going, going, GONE!", said the gravedigger as he shoveled *soil* onto the body's protruding *elbow* (the last bit left to cover).
visit
参 Mystique used to be a postwoman. Whenever she visited a home with an angry dog, she would give it a big elbow.
or again
又 また
reach out
及 This is an image of the fist getting an arm (the new stroke). The FIST now #reaches out# farther than before.
friend
友 A good friend is always at your side. ----I teach at a Japanese High School, and I often see chummy male students grabbing each other's crotches in a joking manner. It's still weird to me, but apparently reaching to your side and grabbing you neighbor's crotch is a great way to express friendship.
pair
双 The animals boarding Noah's Ark all came in pairs - but Noah had to carefully check the two crotches in each pair to ensure that the animals were of different sexes and thus able to further their species after the flood.
anti-
反 I think of an anti-hero (Dirty Harry etc.) for this primitive, whose trademark for disposing of villians is not an honorable fight, but a kick in the *crotch* and then a shove off a *cliff* (perhaps whilst the villain's back is turned).
income
収 Prostitutes can make a veritable *cornucopia* of income by using their *crotches* -- they put the "come" in "income." (A bit lewd perhaps, but effective in keeping this character distinct from similar keywords like {利} or {稼})
uncle
叔 Oh come on people - say what we've all been thinking: the uncle is that creepy guy towering *above* a *little* one's *crotch*.
take
取 Janis Joplin singing "#Take# it! Take another little *ear* from my *crotch* now baby..."
accept
受 the bird house is the brothel (someone else said so) and of course everyone is welcome - thay accept any crotch
confer
叙 Amazed at the *weight* of his *crotch*, they #confer#red every honor upon him. (Image: guy with his junk on a scale getting a medal pinned to his chest/around his neck/being knighted, etc.)
shout
叫 While playing golf, you can hold a CORNUCOPIA up to your MOUTH (like a megaphone) to SHOUT "FOUR"!
pedestal
台 Imagine yourself standing in 2nd place on a pedestal, the winner's *elbow* right by your *mouth*. You think "Bite it! Go on!"... but you don't. That would be weird.
history
史 I sleep in history class with my *mouth tucked under my arm*.
nickname
号 My nickname is "No Lips". Yep, I shouldn't have put my *mouth* on that *bear trap*...
director
司 This director/manager is not the same as the others
make a deal
商 I use what I think is the real etymology for this kanji which is so shocking it sticks. The STANDING member at the top is a certain part of the body that all men have and it is approaching the HOLE between TWO LEGS (the HOOD) with extra marks to show they are FLESHY - ie a womans legs. So this shows the oldest DEAL of all time - prostitution
question
問 A mouth on the Gates of Hell says "Answer me these questions three, or thru the gates ye soon will be".
disclose
啓 Behind closed DOORS, the TASKMASTER tortures to get prisoners to open their MOUTHS and DISCLOSE information.
virtuous
善 Imagine a priest's teaching: "To achieve #virtue# one must first submit himself as a *sheep* to God's flock, rejecting the *horns* of Satan and resisting the *mouth* of Hell.
yell
喚 Think yelp when you hear yell to help dinstinguish this from shout (1508). I think of the sounds that would come from the mouths of the 4 dogs if they were bound up together. I'm imagining lots of yelping.
rejoice
喜 #Rejoice# with the sound of *drums* and *voice*!
hoarse
喝 If you have a *siesta* with your *mouth*open, you will wake up with a hoarse voice.
miss
喪 I #miss# my parents dearly. Here they lay, under a big *cross*, their *mouths* side by side. I stick *hairpins* in their graves. CAREFUL: the stroke order/primitive order is: ten, L mouth, R mouth, hairpin. "Soil" is not drawn in its stroke order.
consume
喫 The average American consumes a lot more than the recommended 2000 calories a day. Heck, during the *pledge* of allegiance I saw most of the class sticking Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Snickers Bars, or other unhealthy treats in their *mouths*.
occupation
営 During the German occupation, this Nazi officer's occupation was to manage *schools* that were requisitioned for training the children of the Aryan race to stand proud with an erect *spine* (mnemonic : "the occupation's *spine schools*"). Kanji meanings : to manage, to conduct (business), and also "barracks; camp; encapment". This story should help avoid confusion with {824} and {1083}. The military occupation theme hints to the secondary meaning, e.g. 営倉 "detention barracks".
heir
嗣 The *director*'s *mouth* dropped open as he flipped through the *scrapbook* of properties he was about to become #heir# to.
sigh
嘆 A #sigh# escapes the *mouth* of the *scarecrow*, who laments: "...if I only had a brain, I could learn kanji".
entrust
嘱 IN Japan they almost always entrust a mouth which belongs to another to deliver news of some kind. This is a way to avoid confrontation; since the entrusted mouth doesn't belong to people the receiver knows, the receiver must be polite.
erupt
噴 Well, the local farmers stuffed the *mouth* of the dangerous volcano with *haystacks*, thinking that would prevent eruptions. Even more stupid was one tourist who threw some sea food (*shellfish*) into the *mouth* of the volcano. This caused an instant eruption of unprecedented magnitude!
upbraid
嚇 Halpern's dictionary goes with #intimidate#, so I'll stick to #menacing#. The kanji for red (赤) is usually only fully formed when it is on the left, as in 赦, so as a primitive, fully red on the left = *commie*. This kanji is unusual in that the commies (2 of them!) have moved over to the right and taken over this entire kanji. The little mouth on the left is protesting what can only be a pictoral representation of the #red menace#.
captured
囚 A person *pent in* is obviously captured. Imagine a man put inside a wooden box, his evil capturers waiting for ransom money.
-times
回 Pretty much a pictograph, see book. Keyword meanings : to turn round, counter for number of times, counter for rounds. Some simple compounds using previously learned kanji : 次回 (next time), 毎回 (every time/each round), 回る(to wander around).
cause
因 Remember the movie Beethoven? That *St. Bernard* was the #cause# of all the trouble because they kept him *pent in* all the time.
group
団 When you are admitted into a group like the Yakuza, you're well and truly done (だん) for. You must stick to the group like *glue*, and you will be *pent-in* for life, never being able to leave.
quandary
困 I'm supposed to make an enclosure for my *tree*, but if I use its *wood* for the enclosure, there won't be anything left to be *pent-in*. What a quandary!
surround
囲 The village #surround#ed the *well* with a *wall* so kids wouldn't fall in.
map
図 Can't see direct relation to {斗} since its writing order is completely different. As raulir noted, it's written as overlapping at the last stroke of ツ and the first of メ. I take it as a pictograph or treasure map. Two dots represent big trees and the cross (marking the treasure) is placed relative to them.
harden
固 Fossils are *old* things *pent in* that have hardened
country
国 In my country (England) the crown *jewels* are kept *pent-in* in the Tower of London. Which happens to be where enemies of the state were once also *pent-in* (probably for trying to steal those *jewels*).
sphere
圏 The lost *scrolls pent away* for centuries proved the Egyptians had believed the world to be a sphere.
park
園 You're walking in the park and a little ways off the path there is a "pent in" lidded crock on a scarf. Just picture it and it should work. You may also imagine the lidded crock family is having a picnic in the park, and 'baby lidded crock' was left alone in its pen/playpen, wearing a scarf (or sleeping on a scarf).
exist
在 Genie in the bottle does exist but you need to dig deep into the soil to find one
ground
地 The soil is littered with scorpions everywhere and no ones dares put their foot on the ground
unusual
変 In Japan, it's very unusual for people to eat whilst *walking* down the street. When Japanese people visit western countries and see someone eating an *apple* or a banana on the street, they find it very strange. This is true.
night
夜 Actually, the lower-right primitive isn't quite "walking legs." It's a little more like "evening" with an extra stroke across it (look up the stroke order). So, it helps me to see this kanji for night as: *evening* plus an extra stroke representing the tuxedo tails to match the *top hat* which *Mr. T* is wearing out on the town...
heavens
天 If you think of the sky as a *ceiling* above our heads, here you have the heavens as the *largest ceiling* you could ever imagine. As Heisig pointed out, nothing comes above the *ceiling* primitive thus the order of primitives is taken care of.
husband
夫 Even though it is argued size is not important, I'm sure most women would like their husband to have a *big one*.
center
央 Big box
lose
失 The *drop* falling here is the *husband's* toupee... he's already #lost# his hair once, now he's #losing# it again. Such is life, I suppose.
Nara
奈 東大寺 in Nara, with the 大仏殿 , is said to be the largest wooden building in the world (?) housing Japan's most famous 大仏 , bigger than the one in Kamakura...it's a big altar.
dedicate
奉 The beegees are dedicated to singing in key
play music
奏 Bee gees : too much heaven
pledge
契 The hidden truth if Peter Pan's gang. If you want to join, part if your pledge is to stab a St. Bernard with a dagger
bustle
奔 Hustle and bustle = a big *St. Bernard dog* frisking about in a *haystack*, knocking it down and spreading the hay about, after the field hands just stacked it up.
core
奥 In the core of a nuclear reactor, scientists have discovered a way to get power from rice, by penting it in under high pressure. It's very dangerous, so they've trained a st. bernard dog to run things, he's adding more drops of rice as necessary.
exhort
奨 it's easy to picture a LEADER that uses a BIG dog to EXHORT his people to do more.
rob
奪 Remember the scene in #A Christmas Story# where the *big dogs* #robbed# the family of their Christmas *turkey*? Well, the following year Ralphie's mom glued the holiday bird to the kitchen table, just as a precaution.
stirred up
奮 The *St. Bernard dog* pounces on a *turkey* in a *rice field* and #stirs up# all the other birds around. See them all gobble gobbling in fear?
guy
奴 That GUY stole my WOMAN so I kicked him in the CROTCH. (This story helps keep the word "GUY" as someone you hold in contempt)
queen
妃 Cleopatra
pregnancy
妊 A pregnant woman is a porter of her child. or A woman becomes pregnant when a drop of gentleman gets inside her.
gentle
妥 Overly gentle *women* are *vultures* who want to marry you and steal your money - not true but an easy mnemonic!
disturb
妨 The COMPASS is disturbed by the presence of a WOMAN and begins to spin wildly.
wife
妻 your wife hit you *10* times with a *rake* when she found you on top of another *woman*!
commence
始 Many men, before they commence their relationship with the *woman* of their desires, place her on something of a *pedestal*, which often leads to disappointment later on.
surname
姓 A trick to keep it separate from "family name": What surname? What's her name? (Say them fast and they sound similar) The her is the woman who is in this kanji, but NOT in family name.
committee
委 Female WHEAT farmers decide to create a COMMITTEE, which they fittingly name "The WHEAT WOMEN COMMITTEE."
princess
姫 Princess Leia becomes Jabba's slave ("princess Leia is a woman slave").
matrimony
姻 Matrimony is the state in which the *woman* has got you *pent* *in* like a *dog* so that you cannot go after other bitches.
figure
姿 First you see her FIGURE, NEXT you get to know the WOMAN behind the curves.
daughter
娘 Mike Hanbah's woman has a daughter
with child
娠 BRUCE LEE'S WOMAN was WITH CHILD and it really upset her stomach because little Brandon Lee was kicking ass from the inside.
recreation
娯 God gives Adam a woman for recreational purposes...
old woman
婆 An old woman is seen here as a woman with waves (i.e. wrinkles, creases).
marriage
婚 Marriage is the *day* in this *woman*'s life where she gets a new *family name*.
lady
婦 In high society, a lady is a *woman* who never touches a *broom* or an *apron*
mediator
媒 In a divorce, the *woman* needs a mediator because she won't talk to that *so-and-so*. Imagine the woman on the ground and the so-and-so up in the tree, and the poor mediator climbing up and down, trying to mediate their fight.
beautiful woman
媛 You want to know about a beautiful woman? There's a *woman* that's so beautiful, the *birds migrate* to her instead of the sun!
marry into
嫁 Traditionally, it was the *women* who would #marry into# the *households* of their husband's families.
dislike
嫌 Attempting to court two women concurrently will make them both dislike you.
rather
寧 A pretty tough kanji. Think of elegant old housewives with English accents dining together at a HOUSE party. The hostess brings out a dish of hors d'oeuvres: a SPIKE of metal with an EYEBALL and a HEART skewered on it. Upon being offered this treat, one of the housewives says in her English accent, "I'd RATHER not."
hearing
審 At your divorce hearing the judge tells you to roll *dice* to see who keeps the *house*. ("I can't believe what I'm hearing!" you say)
dormitory
寮 Starting a sacred bonfire in the house. F*cking students.
vis-a-vis
対 the word vis-a-vis is like *sentence glue*, it kind of joins sentences together.
longevity
寿 This old China man *glued* *shrubs* to his body. The added intake of oxygen from the *shrubs* was, according to him, the secret of his longevity. Sometimes he would sit all day in meditation without moving, and the locals believed the old man had actually turned into a *shrub* !
shoot
射 Yeah I'm gonna glue somebody, yeah I'm gonna shoot somebody...
leader
将 X-men and TMNT join forces: Their new leader is an awsome *******. He is simply Wolverine and Raphael glued together back to back (the biggest *******s from both groups combined)
military officer
尉 Perhaps you have heard about Koizumis controversial visits at the Yasukuni war memorial shrine. It is the japanese flag waving above a small stone altar. A military officer keeps watch here night and day, to honor the dead war heroes, as if he is glued to the ground.
revered
尊 Kids these days revere their peers who do red bull with glue
inquire
尋 You are new in Japan and you inquire about a new job. Lucky for you, there is one. You're now the guy with the *broom* who sweeps the *エロ (ero)* "studio" after they're done. "Eww, what's this *gluing* the *broom* to the ground...". Time to inquire about a new job :)
concerning
就 in the *capital* they have been having hearings concerning bioethics and bioengineering they call as their first witness a *chihuahua* with *one human leg* who is looking for work.
shaku
尺 Since this is SLANG for BLOW J*B and since it looks like an "R", let's have the primitive be the R in BROW JOB. :)
nun
尼 The nun does not believe in the miracles of modern medicine. She had a dream that her *pee* would cure all diseases, so she's feeding *spoon*fuls of it to sick people. (I use "pee" for the "flag" primitive)
exhaust
尽 A women is so exhausted by her "shakuhachi" that she needs to ice her jaw.
tail
尾 A FLAG of FUR is a TAIL
urine
尿 Someone is pissing on the American flag, but since the urine is clear it looks like water
bureau
局 This is a Tourist Information Bureau. It has lots of national *flags* signs to indicate which languages are spoken/available and it stocks many *phrase*books.
reside
居 protocol dictates that when the the Queen of England resides at Buckingham Palace they fly the the Union Jack. So, when the *flag* is flying over the palace you know the *old* bitch is in.
yield
屈 When yielding, soldiers raise the white *flag* before *exiting* from the trenches.
deliver
届 Picture a guy riding around on a scooter with a bright flag mounted on the scooter. The flag says, "sprouts express! we deliver!" He comes up to your door and delivers a bag of piping hot brussell sprouts.
roof
屋 My girlfriend is crazy. First she drags me up onto the roof of her apartment building to have sex while wearing an American flag, then she wants me to *pee* all over her after I *climax*. She's crazy, but I love her! (Note: I use "pee" for the "flag" primitive)
unfold
展 You use an American flag to wrap up a salad for a picnic and bind it with a hairpin. Now imagine unfolding it to open up the bounty you've fixed up for yourself.
belong
属 A gnat moves to Texas, and tries to look like he belongs. He carries a big American flag, and a huge cowboy belt buckle.
stratum
層 *Prince* works on a geological dig placing little *flags* at each #stratum# of dig.
footgear
履 NOTE: The most common use is in はく, meaning to put on footgear, rather than actual footgear itself. STORY: You are asleep in camp when you are woken up with news that the FLAG has fallen to the enemy. You quickly PUT ON YOUR FOOTGEAR and run off to RESTORE the FLAG. Or, Chris Melluish peed in your footgear. Smart took them back to his Mum to get them restored.
barracks
屯 earthworm jim sleeps in a barracks because he is a soldier... apparently
mountain
山 Pictograph, see book. * As a primitive this element appears equally as well at the top or bottom of the kanjis (besides appearing to the left). Since a mountain often brings to mind towering peaks, I will consider it implied that the element is placed at the top of the kanji. When this primitive appears at the bottom, I will arrange my story in a way that other elements are said to be at the very top of the mountain (see FRAME 775 for an example).
branch off
岐 On the left, there are three mountains. The road #branches off# to each of them. (Note: This kanji is mostly used for branches in the road)
Mount
岡 white mount , Fuji mount , olympus mount whatever ....The choice is yours but wherever you go they sell those snowglobe souvenir : under a GLASS HOOD you can see the mount with a MOUTAIN GOAT standing on top of it .... So kitsch you just can't forget it .
boulder
岩 Boulders are *rocks* that fall from the *mountains* above, just like in zelda.
headland
岬 Headlands are natural forts; in fact, once men build castles on them, they become *armoured mountains*. (Gibralter, for example, is basically an *armoured mountain*)
Point
岳 There's a movie called "The Englishman who went up a hill but came down a mountain". The story is that English cartographer says that the mountain near a Welsh village is actually a hill (too low for a mountain), but the locals decide to make it a mountain (by making it higher). Let's say that in the end the *hill* got the title Point to mark it as a *mountain*.
beach
岸 (kanjihito) A nude beach is generally sheltered from sight under *mountains* or a *cliff*, where the bathers can *dry* in privacy. Imagine a bunch of *clotheslines* at the entrance where you can leave your clothes.
mountain pass
峠 The MOUNTAIN PASS helps you go *up* and *down* the *mountain*
gorge
峡 A #gorge# is where God has cut into a *mountain* with a pair of *scissors*. (synewave,6-10-2006) http://www.travelblog.org/Photos/197361.html
summit
峰 If you are using the "walking legs + bushes = pubic hair" primitive... The nudist colony was banished to the top of the mountain's summit, so that nobody would have to see their bushes again!
island
島 This island is the home of the terrible mythical bird Roc. It sits mighty atop the mountain waiting for the next hapless ship to pass by.
adore
崇 Japanese people adore mount Fuji so much, its almost like a religion.
promontory
崎 A promontory is a *mountain strange* (not a mountain range) that juts out like Cape Odd.
crumble
崩 "If *mountains* crumble to the sea, there will still be you and me" sang Led Zeppelin in the song "Thank You." This character illustrates that sentiment perfectly: a *mountain* crumbling above while two *companions* remain below. Or Sep 11
storm
嵐 What a storm! Even a *mountain* was carried off by the *wind*!
nest
巣 *Owls* only nest in *fruit trees*
adroit
巧 It takes 15 years to become adroit/skillful at crafting bear traps.
gigantic
巨 Gigantic... nay, 巨normous!
distinction
差 This New-Zealand pro-gamer has won many #distinctions# playing *WoolCraft* (a massively multi-user game in which the goal is to shear sheep).
self
己 This kanji looks like the "s" of "self", looking at its own reflection in a mirror (reversed sideways), as if pondering about his "self".
scroll
巻 The world's smallest snake can roll up (like a scroll) on top of a quarter. TRUE: (http://www.efluxmedia.com/news_Worlds_Smallest_Snake_Can_Curl_Up_on_a_Quarter_21434.html). NOT TRUE. The people of the Bahamas where the snake was found used the snake to protect secret information, they would put the snake inside a rolled up scroll and anyone who unrolled it would be bitten and dead in 3 seconds.
sail
帆 A towel makes a mediocre sail.
hope
希 The Grim Reaper showes up before you. You still have hope to escape. You throw some linen over yourself, pretending you are a ghost. Ghosts are already dead right. Grim Reaper:`Humans always have some hope to escape me...funny` SCHLING... the last sound you here.
sovereign
帝 The crazy sovereign stands up from his throne, wearing nothing but a crown and a towel. That's why they try to keep him locked up in the castle away from the public.
commander
帥 Here we see *James Bond* as the ultimate Commander. In fact you can see him #command-her# to take off that *towel* and it just falls off without a second thought.
expert
師 *Mr. Bond* is an expert when it comes to killing (what do you expect - he's got a license to do so) and can kill anyone, even by hanging them from the ceiling with a towel.
seat
席 PRIMITIVE: *Cave* + *twenty* = #Finnish sauna# (instead of Heisig's "caverns", which I'd confuse with "cave"). STORY: You don't directly sit on the wooden seat in the *sauna* -- rather, you put a *towel* underneath.
homecoming
帰 Britney Spears comes back for her homecoming. Husband gives her the broom and the apron.
notebook
帳 Kerouac didnt have a notebook when travelling, so he wrote all his notes on a long towel
usual
常 Tom じょうnes sings 'it's not (un)usual to wipe yourself with a towel...'非常に (ひじょうに) very / greatly 日常 (にちじょう) ordinary / regular / everyday / usual 常に (つねに) always 常識 (じょうしき) common sense
cap
帽 If you wear a towel as a cap, you are at risk of being seized and searched in U.S. airports.
hanging scroll
幅 Hanging scrolls are used without a thought when the TOWELS run out in the bathrooms of those with WEALTH. 幅 ふく scroll / はば width, breadth.
cash
幣 A counterfeiter is using a *shredder* to shred a *towel* in order to print up some cash (he needs some rag paper) .
dry
干 A samurai is really really dripping wet, so he hangs upside down from a tree to dry.
even
平 Even if Heisig showed me in person, I still wouldn't believe that this is a *water lily*. I don't get it.
year
年 A *horse* wears a pair of *sunglasses with one lens popped out* after a particularly raucous celebration to ring in the New Year.
happiness
幸 This is one of those rare occasions when I forgo Heisig for other methods. 「幸せから一本取ると辛い」 -- if you take but one stroke away from happiness, you get painfulness. (oh well, Heisig used similar one for 百) Or find yen buried under the soil
tree trunk
幹 A fine *mist* is falling, and so everyone gathers around near the tree-trunk...but, hang on, there is no tree! You look up to see it's Totoro holding a Mickey Mouse on the Shinkansen *umbrella* in order to keep *dry*.
phantasm
幻 The mother who has undergone a back-street abortion using a *clothes hanger* is having phantasms (hallucinatory visions) of her dead baby hatching from a *cocoon*. The *cocoon* looks like the facehugger eggs from the original Alien movie poster. まぼろし; hallucination/vision/mirage.
infancy
幼 Peter Parker and Schwarzengger played together in their infancy.
faint
幽 The villagers haven't the #faint#est idea that giant *coccoons* resting in the *mountain* are soon to hatch.
how many
幾 At the Mexican *fiesta*, there is a *coccoon* eating competition. How many *coccoons* can one *person* eat? No one has managed more than two before giving up...
government office
庁 This kanji that was originally developed as a handy-dandy set of directions to the first government office located in Japan, as it was (and still is to this very day) located on *Cave Street*
wide
広 The Batcave is very wide and has a lot of elbow room for Batman to do his yoga.
bed
床 The two safe places to sleep in the wilderness are in a *tree* and in a *cave*. So these can be considered as beds. ゆか - floor. The cave had a wooden floor.
preface
序 In the preface to his latest edition of RTK, Heisig tells us that until he invented his brilliant kanji-learning method, he was living in a *cave beforehand*. Luckily, the publishing of the book gave him enough money to move out of the *cave* into an apartment. He could also finally afford to put a handle on his *halberd*.
bottom
底 I put all those useless *business cards* at the bottom of a *cave*
store
店 the fortuneteller has a store in a cave
municipality
府 A municipality, like any type of government, *adheres* to having *caves* for offices (see {591}).
degrees
度 PRIMITIVE: *Cave* + *twenty* = #Finnish sauna# (instead of Heisig's "caverns", which I'd confuse with "cave"). STORY: When it gets 95 degrees Celsius (or 200 degrees Fahrenheit) in the *sauna*, you start feeling the heat in your *crotch*.
sit
座 coal mine (*cave*); tea break time; the *assembly line* stops and everyone sit or squat on the *dirt* floor, in a long line, to rest
warehouse
庫 I think of the Batcave. It's a big cave that Batman uses as a warehouse to store his car, the Batmobile, and all his cool big-boy toys.
courtyard
庭 When the courthouse caved in, trials had to be held in the courtyard.
commoner
庶 PRIMITIVE: *Cave* + *twenty* = #Finnish sauna# (instead of Heisig's "caverns", which I'd confuse with "cave"). This primitive meaning works well for all kanji it occurs in; I've posted stories for all of them. STORY: Wealthy people have a *sauna* in their house, but commoners have to use their *oven fire* to warm themselves.
sane
康 A psychiatric hospital is located in a CAVE. To determine, which patients are sane and can be released, they are given a SIEVE and asked to empty a bathtub (the sane ones take out the plug and get the water out with #ease#). Health
comfortable
庸 To live a comfortable life, single men need only a cave for living, a rake for cleaning and a screwdriver for fixing.
abolish
廃 In American Indian culture, women on the blob had to leave the tribe and were sent to caves. This practice was abolished.
bargain
廉 CASANOVA wanted to take you to a love hotel, but he loves a bargain; you ended up with CASANOVA in a CAVE.
corridor
廊 Your *son* plays in the corridor pretending he's exploring a *cave*.
courts
廷 [ #courts# = *stretch*(*porter*) ] - the #courts#, *porters* of justice, sometimes *stretch* the letter of the law for their own ends
twenty
廿 *Ten* plus *ten* is twenty (see {世}).
valve
弁 "She's stuck real good-like" the guy from the いなか (田舎; country) said to me with a strong rural #dialect# (弁; べん). "You best grab on ta'er with *both hands* and giv-er that VALVE some *elba*' greeze." (I couldn't resist: this is a favourite Japanese word of mine, which also means "regional dialect." Such as Osaka-ben 大阪弁; almost all prefectures in Japan will boast of their own 弁 and slang).
abuse
弊 Mafioso abusing someone to get information. They use a shredder on both of his hands.
bow
弓 My personification for this primative is Legolas from the Lord of the Rings: a master at the bow. I suppose robin hood etc would work too.
condolences
弔 Send your condolences to the old geezer whom you shot the *walking stick* into with your *bow*. (see {引})
pull
引 Put a *walking stick* in the *bow* and pull it back, ready to fire at the old geezer.
vast
弘 If you pull the bow back with your elbow, you can shoot a vast distance.
younger brother
弟 #Younger brothers# are always more prone to mischief. Mine, you can almost see the little *horns* on him and the *dollar signs* on his eyes when he comes up with a money-making scheme.
bowstring
弦 A magic *bow* that only *Gandalf* can yield: there is no bowstring on it, and he uses his magic to fire arrows.
arc
弧 Joan of Arc ("arc" also means "bow" in french) is practicing with a *bow*, shooting at *melons* in a distant field.
weak
弱 BOWS with ICE on them are brittle and WEAK.
lengthen
張 Longbow
strong
強 Legolas is so #strong# that he can even shoot down *vast* numbers of tiny *insects* at *vast* distances with ease.
remote
悠 *Mr. T* ventured out into a remote area to visit with his wise, old *taskmaster* who must use a *walking stick* to get around and originally gave *Mr. T* the *heart* to fight crime for the good of the community.
afflicted
患 A person who is afflicted with the vampire disease can only be killed with a *sheesh-kebab* through the *heart*.
ecstasy
悦 The *devil* sells *Data* some #ecstasy# saying it will make him, like, human, man.
trouble
悩 *Data* finds a *villan* getting his brain picked out by an *owl*. "Looks like you're having some trouble" says *Data*
bad
悪 Asian hearts are #bad# and #evil#. They invented so much martial arts: karate, judo, kungfu, muay thai, silat, etc... just to hurt each other. They torture their own people (China, North Korea). They torture other people (Japan in China and Korea). And they are able to hide all this behind their nice facade of kindness. #Bad#, #bad# Asians. (did i shatter some people`s ideas on Asia? my #bad#)
sad
悲 Saddness is like having your *heart* captured and *jailed* because of some sad or terrible event, etc. Here the sad *heart* waits for someone to come and *un*-lock their *jail cell* and set them free again.
lament
悼 Think of eminent being Eminem, the rapper, with a magic wand in form of a sun flower in his hand, looking a bit odd, but still eminent if you imagine the sunflower with his usual hip hop outfit. Now imagine Data and Eminem having a rap battle, afterwards Eminem lamenting that he actually lost to an android, dissing him on his next album, lamenting that it was an unfair battle as Data knew had all his lyrics stored on his hard drive.
feelings
情 Frustrated that he can't understand human #feelings#, *Data* focuses on *Smurfs* instead. Or, Data watches Breaking Bad and struggles to understand Heisenberg's feelings.
beguile
惑 I like to think of this character as Guile from Street Fighter 2, #beguiling# Chun Li at the *fiesta*. He kisses her on the *mouth*, they do it on the *floor*. Then, remembering his job, he rips out her *heart*, Mortal Kombat style. "which character are you gonna be?" "I'm gonna #be Guile#" (Partly inspired by nilfisq's).
pity
惜 Data hears the story of Mr. T borrowing your McDonalds salad. What a pity, he thinks.
wretched
惨 Data feels wretched because he has no family to visit
lazy
惰 #Laziness# is a *state of mind* epitomised by the *left* *parts of my body*. My left hand does not move the pen; my left thumb does not strike the space bar; when driving, my left foot does not press down the gas pedal and apply the brakes. (If only I didn't kick with my left foot, this story would be complete)
concept
想 *``Inter-heart``* is a new therapy *CONCEPT* that helps macho guys share their feelings with each other.
distress
愁 In AUTUMN, the farmer's HEART is in DISTRESS as to if he has enough crops. Even better, the farmer will experience great DISTRESS in his HEART if his WHEAT catches FIRE!
pleasure
愉 Image : *Data* attending a *meeting of the butchers union*. As a joke to begin his speech he says, `Its a #pleasure# to MEAT you all.` (thanx to Shibo & nestOr)
idea
意 Picture someone who's just had a great idea, but in place of a blinking light bulb over their head, you see a *heart* thumping with great *noise*. Imagine the greater the idea, the louder the *sound* of the beating *heart*.
foolish
愚 When you do something foolish, Jiminy Cricket will hit you in the heart with a swatter
love
愛 The man is about to enter the '*birdhouse*' (brothel) when he remembers his true *love* at home, and, following his *heart*, uses his *walking legs* to go straight home.
emotion
感 Strong EMOTIONS don't stay hidden. They march right out of one's *heart* (below) and out *one*'s *mouth* (shouted, snarled, or gently whispered - depending on exactly what kind of emotion it is!).
mercy
慈 Two gremlins are atop a victim, tearing out his heart while he begs for mercy.
attitude
態 This guy has an attitude problem - lots of *ability*, but his *heart*'s not in it.
disconcerted
慌 Picard: My home planet has been laid to waste Data: That is very disconcerting
humility
慎 *Data* has great #humility# even though he knows more *truth* than any human.
pining
慕 Pining, yearn for... etc. Presumably for lost love. An easy one here, someone standing in the *graveyard*, placing an old *valentine* card amonst all the existing tributes.
ridicule
慢 The whole crew #ridicules# *Data* as he's on a big hippy phase wearing *mandalas* and such trying to explore human behavior. (It depicts the order of sacred cosmic symbols: sun, eye, crotch).
accustomed
慣 It took the crew a while to get accustomed to *Data*'s nipple *piercings*. They would have tried to forget the fact, but his tight uniform wasn't hiding them very well... Meanwhile, he is still becoming accustomed to the feeling as well.
rue
慨 Data didn't give his waiter a tip. He's gonna rue that.
prudence
慮 Real meaning: "to ponder". You have to think with prudence (ponder carefully) about approaching a tiger, as is evident from 虎.
consolation
慰 This Kanji appears in the word 慰安婦 いあんふ, which was what the infamous WW II "comfort women" were called in Japanese. The story goes something like this: As a way of providing consolation to battle-weary, *heartsick military officers and soldiers*, the Japanese set up comfort stations (brothels) for their servicemen. (Just to be clear: this is not an endorsement of the practice, just a way to remember the Kanji.)
jubilation
慶 Hamlet's head is replaced by a deer. The world is in jubilation that the miserable bastard no longer will subject us to his miserable melancholic soliloquies.
melancholy
憂 Melancholy makes me think of Hamlet cause he was so 'emo'. In order to play up his feelings he bares his *head* and holds his *crown* over his *heart* then walks (on *walking legs*) around the palace making everyone see how melancholy he is. What a wuss.
hate
憎 Like the saying goes, Hate just begets Hate. A state of mind that just increases and increases until it explodes.
aroused
憤 *Data* was #aroused/indignant# when he saw what the volcano had done to the farmers building their *haystacks* and the fishermen collecting their *shells* .The tragedy of it all #aroused# him so much he didn't even notice he was feeling emotion
recess
憩 Recess to me is a school break. At recess some kiddies are comparing their latest body piercings. *Tongues* and *noses* are nothing special. The new cool is to have your *heart* done!
constitution
憲 The #constitution# is important. At least my parents thought so. In the *house* where I *grew up*, it was framed on the wall. Under the watchful (sideways) *eye* of my mother, we had to study it until we knew it by *heart*.
recollection
憶 *Data*'s #recollection# powers are unparalled. He never loses a single *idea*.
remorse
憾 *Data* feels remorse for stealing the human *emotion* chip. So, he takes it out. Then his remorse is gone so he puts it back in.. Then he takes it out. This could go on for a while, couldn't it?
sociable
懇 The skunk here is Pepe LePew of Looney Tunes fame. He's a very sociable skunk, as far as skunks go, but instead of having a "heart of gold" he has a heart of silver (since he always finishes second in the game of love).
懐 I keep a doll of *data* and *darth vader* in his cape in my pocket. Also used in natsukashi
penal
懲 Penal servitude is served until indications show that one has had a change of heart (learned one's lesson). Easily confused with {679} and {833}. Concentrate on the reasons behind the penal system ("changing people's hearts" here), instead of the penalty itself or the punishment (revenge) aspect. It may help to note that there's no sword, but a heart :-) (Note: 懲りる = learn from one's bad experiences)
suspend
懸 In this boring prefecture, everyone worked ishoukenmei to make it more interesting by hanging up hearts and strings of DNA.
ego
我 Someone with a huge EGO is too good for any romantic partner and as such has nothing but personal "*hand* *fiesta*s" with himself every night
commandment
戒 two hands, fiesta.....when moses received the ten commandments with two hands, he went back down the mountain and threw a fiesta with the jews, celebrating the arrival of the commandments
war
戦 Hooters girls having a fiesta looks a lot like war
frolic
戯 This is a story about the end of the universe. The universe is turning into a featureless *void*. There's nothing we can do about it except for throw a *fiesta* and frolic a little bit before it's all over.
door
戸 Traditional Japanese storefront doors have several *flags*, known as "noren," hanging down from a curtain rod in front of them. I see this as a pseudo-pictograph, and use the horizontal line across the top to represent the curtain rod, since noren don't usually hang from the *ceiling*.
re-
戻 Think about hachiko, the *dog* waiting at the *door* of the station, waiting for his master to *re-*turn
tassel
房 Explanation here: http://forum.koohii.com/viewtopic.php?pid=14684#p14684
place
所 When you come over to my place, you leave your *axe* at the *door*!
fan
扇 Home Alone, when the bad guy opens the *door*, it triggers the fan to blow *feather*s into his face.
front door
扉 The only way out of a *jail cell* is to serve your time and walk out the front door. There are no other *doors*.
hand
手 A hand is good for doing 1000 and 1 things. 千 and 一
genius
才 A GENIUS normally scores 11 out of 1o. (11/10).
strike
打 You're using a hammer to drive a *nail* into a plank, but you miss and strike your *fingers*, ouch ! PS: the character does not mean "to go on strike", it will be very helpful in the long run to create images that convey the proper sense of the character!
pay
払 You're at a restaurant and raise your *finger* to indicate to the waiter that you want to pay. Your friend *elbows* you in the ribs -- it's his shout, and he insists on taking care of the bill.
handle
扱 Pay attention to this story because you'll learn how to recall the reading of this kanji as well: We've all heard the expression: "Too hot to handle" -- Well, just imagine you are *reaching out* your *fingers* to touch someone's face and it is too hot to handle. (Then you can combine the word for hot (atsui) with the word for face (kao) and always remember how this character is read: atsukau - あつかう.)
aid
扶 In Homer Simpsons' house, the first aid kit is usually used for when he smashes his fingers trying to build something (there are countless Simpsons episodes you can draw from for this).
criticism
批 Criticism (movies, food, etc.) is about giving something the *thumbs* up or down after *comparing* it with others of its kind.
acquiesce
承 To get someone to *completely* #acquiesce# it takes *3* dunks in the *water* before they give.
skill
技 Steal money with your fingers from the branch ATM
extract
抄 You can extract her juices by inserting a *few fingers*.
catch
捕 I was retreating from the battlefield. In the chaos, my friend, who had been catch-ed, threw his dogtags at me to give to his family. I managed to catch them with my fingers as the chopper was lifting off.
grasp
把 Japanese censorship laws require pornos to use a *mosaic* screen, so you can't see what the porno chick is #grasping# with her *fingers* (but you can assume, neetch) When you find the uncensored version, however, you are surprised to see she is really grasping a Rubik's cube!
repress
抑 They would #repress# dissents by cutting off their *fingers* and mailing them to relatives in *small boxes* (of course including *stamps* for proper postage)
throw
投 Well, you usually use your *fingers* to throw objects used as *missile* weapons. Easy. By the way, for those of you looking for a less anachronistic image for the *missile* primitive as a modern rocket, try a slingshot. it's a *crotch* (originally a tree branch) that sends missile projectiles flying into/like the *wind*. And for this present kanji, it is something you naturally use with your fingers...
confront
抗 Gandalf confronts the evil beast, shouting "you shall not pass!". He holds up a single finger and sends forth a whirlwind.
fold
折 It's the latest Japanese game show: #Forudo#! Contestants are given a sheet of paper and are told to fold it into a complex origami shape. If they're not done in 60 seconds, a huge axe descends from the ceiling and chops their work in half. Contestants know to recoil their hands from the falling axe, but some have been so absorbed in folding, they ignore the buzzer and get their fingers chopped off.
slip out
抜 Don't let good *friends* slip out between your *fingers*.
choose
択 Hand job or "shakuhachi", choose.
expose
披 Fred Flintstone gets arrested for #exposing# himself to young cave-ladies. He does this by lifting his pelt with his fingers.
embrace
抱 Here, I'm picturing that scene from ET (the extra terrestrial), where ET hugs Elliot before leaving. You see that EMBRACE is ET's long FINGERS that WRAP around Elliot.
resist
抵 How do resist someone giving your their *business card*? Give them the *finger*.
rub
抹 I like to RUB my FINGERS over my EXTREMITIES ....heh heh heh
push
押 Push the *roots* down, instead of plucking the seedling.
pluck
抽 Brussel sprouts flying in the air. Try and pluck one!
shouldering
担 One of Hercules' labors was to hold the world in his *fingers* for Atlas and not move until *nightbreak*, shouldering the considerable burden.
clap
拍 (Image: the most snooty prim and proper English Lord with *white* gloves clapping only with his *fingers*. "Oh bravo old chap. Bravo...").
kidnap
拐 Wrap your FINGERS around someone's MOUTH to keep them quiet, then put the KNIFE to their throat to ensure their cooperation. This is the best way to KIDNAP someone.
repel
拒 Want to REPEL someone? Give em the *gigantic finger* - your biggest finger, which is your middle one of course! (It's even more memorable if you imagine someone with a grotesquely large middle finger).
clear the land
拓 A huge index *finger* coming down from the sky is kicking boulders of *rock*, clearing the land. Maybe it's the *finger* of God preparing a place for his little people to live.
arrest
拘 You approach the thief from behind, stick your *finger* at his back to fake a gun, and say the *phrase* "You're under arrest".
bungling
拙 Horror movie cliche 769: #Bungling# victim`s *fingers* fumble & bungle trying to open the *exit* door.
beckon/invite
招 A Geisha beckons you with her index *finger*, and as you approach she runs her *fingers* all over her body in an attempt to *seduce* you. Keyword meaning : "invite".
worship
拝 Rastafarians worship bush hanging from the ceiling. They just point at it with their fingers and say "yeah mon"
foothold
拠 When rockclimbing, when your weight *disposes* of the valuble foothold, all that's left is your *fingers* keeping you from death. Meanwhile, your *walking legs* are left dangling in the *wind*.
broaden
拡 Eeek! Japanese girls are tight and may require *fingers* inserted to broaden them and make them *wide* enough before you can...
fasten
括 On the plane, you refuse to FASTEN your seatbelt and even go so far as to give the stewardess the *finger* and stick out your *tongue* at her. The crew comes and pins you down and forces you to FASTEN it. Note: This means more like condense or constrict, that is bundling something up. 括弧 - parantheses; 一括 - batch; 統括 - unification; ... etc. So it has less to do with tying something up to restrict it than with bringing something together and forming a batch.
torture
拷 Consider the fingers!
pick up
拾 I tried to PICK UP the bowling ball...but my FINGERS didn't FIT in the holes
hold
持 In Kyaiktiyo, there is rocking stone which sits on the edge of a cliff, and there is a *Buddhist temple* built on the top of it. You can rock the stone by pushing it with your *finger*, but it still #holds# in place. It's true, see here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyaiktiyo
finger
指 finger lickin' delicious
challenge
挑 New Mario challenge, try to kill Bowser, the giant Turtle using just one finger!
raise
挙 The *owl* was asked to #raise# his *hand* if he needed anything, but he had a wing, not a *hand*! So he made a *tool* that looked like a *hand* which he used when he needed to #raise# his *hand*. For #raise#ing, *owl* has a *tool* *hand*.
sandwiched
挟 a japanese commuter train where everyone is sandwiched in like sardines. There is no space for the game rock, paper, scissors because although you can do rock and paper, the *fingers* for *scissors* get sandwiched
impart
授 "IMPART" means to 'give' or 'teach', such as in the words 口授 (こうじゅ; oral instruction), and 授業 (じゅぎょう; lesson). As I am a teacher, I see myself at the front of the class, pointing to the blackboard with my *finger* - and the students at their desks, some *accepting* and learning, others sleeping...
manipulate
掌 Go to the OUTHOUSE if you are going to manipulate (masturbate) your body with the palm of your HAND.
repudiate
排 When ordered to go to the *jail cell*, the defendant gave the judge the *finger* and said he repudiated all that the legal system stood for if they were going to send an innocent man like him to jail.
dig
掘 Not obeying the Geneva convention, the millitary junta did not leave the soldiers who *yield*ed alive - they forced them to #dig# their own graves with the *fingers* before getting executed.
hang
掛 Think RPG. The wizard points his *finger* to the guard and the *ivy* he has just animated with his *magic wand* climbs down the wall to #hang# the poor guy, opening the way for the adventurers into the dungeon.
pick
採 You pick cheries with your *fingers*, then along comes a giant *vulture* and picks up the whole *tree* with its *claws*.
grope
探 Note: "*crown+human legs*" appears 7 times in RTK. In 4 cases (nos. 323, 1327, 1328, 2920) *crown* is above *human legs*, and in the other 3 (1888, 2472, 2679) one leg passes through the crown. I call the 1st pattern "*Miss World*" (who is wearing a *crown* & has long *human legs*) and the 2nd "*garter*" (one *human leg* passes through the *crown* wearing it as a *garter*). Story: *Miss World* has climbed a *tree* to avoid the *finger* that was #groping# for her. (探 means "grope for", i.e. search).
touch
接 CHIKAN!! These are the perverts who use their *fingers* to touch *standing women* on crowded trains.
withdraw / withhold
控 This kanji means to hold back or refrain from something (thanks karmatheif). Story: My FINGERS had just grasped a fresh chocolate chip cookie in the jar and then I heard Mom's footsteps! Letting the cookie go left my FINGERS EMPTY but also made it easier to WITHDRAW from the jar and the room without getting caught.
conjecture
推 In mathematics, a conjecture is a mathematical statement which has been proposed as a true statement, but which no one has yet been able to prove or disprove. Have you heard of the *Finger-Turkey* conjecture ? It states that if *turkeys* had *fingers*, they would be able to count. Be sure to imagine a turkey with fingers at the tip of its wings, counting from one to ten.
set aside
措 McDonalds salad has a finger in it. Set it aside.
put up a notice
掲 I used a *finger* and a thumbtack to put up a sign on my door to notify others that I was taking a *siesta* and was not to be disturbed. #(think finger = thumb[tack] and this kanji is easy)#
sketch
描 I'm bad at drawing, so when I try to sketch the kanji for cat, you can sort of recognize it, but I don't get the curve of the "wild dogs" just right.
propose
提 When a man PROPOSES to a lady, he takes her FINGER and places the ring on it JUST SO, and the moment sweeps her away.
hoist
揚 Picture a major robbery where some dudes are breaking into a bank to steal their money. They get their man in the vault through the ceiling - now he's hanging from a rope a few feet from the ground (like in the movies, dodging laser beams). He reports back that he has found the loot, and its all in a large piggy bank in the center of the vault. The alarm sounds and he's got to think fast. He jams the four fingers of his right hand in the piggy bank slot and tells his team to hoist him up, he's got the loot!
interchange
換 After months of practice, you finally managed to teach a nice trick to your sled-pulling *four bound up St. Bernard dogs*: one snap of your *fingers* and they interchange their positions. (right primitive means "clear")
grip
握 fingers gripping the roof as your about to fall to your death. Think of an action scene in some movie.
brandish
揮 Think of the movie Gladiator but instead Maximus is brandishing a giant foam brand name (nike, rebok, adidas, whatever) *finger* like you see at a baseball game. He's riding in a *chariot* using the foam *finger* to kill his enemy.
abet
援 You abet the escape of migrating ducks by pointing them the way.
swing
揺 Primitive for condor: Condors are vultures that live on dry mountains. SWING by your fingers from a flying condor. It's lots of fun!
damage
損 Boss yells, "Who #damaged# the Xerox machine?!" *fingers* of *employees* point at one another.
conveyor
搬 When workers neglect workplace safety, their fingers get cut off and carried away by the conveyor belt, which looks like a 'finger carrier' in that case.
board
搭 ok, this is a little wierd, but i took this back to the kanji for {254}. I think it helps simplify the image, and also helps anchor the pagoda kanji in memory better as an added bonus. say this aloud once, and i think it will bring out a vivid image very quickly: "Now boarding the *pagoda* ride. Please keep your *fingers* inside at all times..."
portable
携 Playing new game Angry Turkeys, but my fingers are no good, so smas screen with my fist.
squeeze
搾 You have trouble squeezing your hand through the hole so you use a saw to enlarge it.
vicarious
摂 I put my *fingers* in my *ears* to avoid going deaf while getting a vicarious thrill from watching kids light off *sparklers* and fireworks on Chinese New Year.
pinch
摘 My grandma always pinched me with her fingers when i was playing with her antiques. Imagine her fingers, also quite antique, thin, bony and hard, pinching at your hand. "Keep your fingers away from my antiques!!" Also: pinch of snuff=ancient habit!
beat
撃 In a random version of rock,paper, scissors. A car is beaten by a missile that hits it, the missile is beaten by the hand that can type in the deactivation code (which in turn is beaten by the car that runs over it)
remove
撤 A terrible yakuza #taskmaster# is #bringing up# his infant. Every time the infant does something wrong... well, you know what happens to yakuzas when they do something wrong.
snapshot
撮 When I learned photography from my dad as a little girl, he explained the basics to me: "when you *take* a snapshot, be careful not to put your *fingers* before the lens, and don't look towards the *sun* (this was in the days that photographs would be spoiled by direct sunlight).
slap
撲 A husband wears a Bart Simpson hair head to surprise his wife. He gets a big slap!
hug
擁 A *mysterious* *turkey* with human *finger*s wants to hug me... I will never go to Tokyo Disneyland again!
maneuver
操 Tip: *goods* + *wood/tree* : This combination of primitives appears four times in Heisig, so it's worthwhile giving it a name. I suggest "*furniture*" (a common type of *wooden goods*). REF: {215} , *maneuver* (FRAME 671), {1369}, {2035}. Story: Using just a *finger* you are trying to maneuver your *furniture* round your room.
grate
擦 Ouch! *Guess* how many *fingers* I just grated in the grater? (Edit: OR: Ouch! *Guess* what I just grated in the grater? -- my *finger*!)
mimic
擬 Ask a teacher in a trial lesson to MIMIC or give an impression of DOUBT, and he will no DOUBT scratch his head with his FINGER
branch
支 You go to your local bank #branch#, where a truly diabolical ATM machine, instead of spitting out twenties, spits *needles* right into your *crotch*. Don't forget your receipt! (I wanted a story that didn't incorporate any trees, since the kanji didn't)
reformation
改 The *taskmaster* of Slytherin ( wizardry house symbolized by a *snake* ) plans a #reformation# of Hogwarts, disallowing the study of magic to all muggle-born. こわいですね！
set free
放 Go in any *direction* away from your *taskmaster* when you are #set free#.
cleverness
敏 every master(or taskmaster) must have some degree of cleverness. Note the "ever" in cleverness -> every
salvation
救 Like in the biblical sense, someone looks skyward and makes a *request* for salvation from this horrible *taskmaster*...
teach
教 In early Japan, *filial piety* was the cornerstone of education, and harsh *taskmasters* were employed to teach it.
daring
敢 Only a truly #daring# Japanese student would wear a *spike* in his *ear* under the gaze of the Japanese teacher *taskmasters*!
scatter
散 The #taskmaster# is dissatisfied with the meal she's served, and scatters the #salad# & #meat# across the floor for the servants to clean up. There's meat in this salad!
number
数 Please support mikemorr's entry, as the *constellation* primitive is valid: "Rice above woman is the character 娄, which can refer to a *constellation*. (Mnemonic: The stars of the constellation are like grains of rice, forming the shape of a woman in the sky.) We'll also see 娄 in watchtower (#930) and frequently (#2221). Number: The taskmaster makes you count the number of stars in the constellation."
organize
整 recycling in Japan, you have to make sure all your *bundles* are organized *correctly* otherwise the *taskmasters* won't accept them
enemy
敵 The *taskmaster* became my enemy for life when he smashed the *antique vase* holding my wife's ashes.
spread
敷 *Arrowheads* are #spread# all over the *field*. The *taskmaster* profiteerer forces you to find them all using a *compass*.
sentence
文 A twist on greenapple: The teacher puts a tophat on all pupils with gramatically correct sentences, while the rest are left with a big red X on their homework.
adjusted
斉 2 scotsman playing soccer. They both are goalkeepers. The use fencepost as goals. You see one of them adjusting the fences so that his goal becomes smaller. Used to be symmertical before that.
purification
斎 A scottish priest in a *tartan* kilt has put his altar between a couple of *fence posts* and is now playing the bagpipes in a very Scottish purification rite.
Big Dipper
斗 I looked out my window frame and saw two shooting stars slashing through the big dipper. Primitive: Big Gulp cup from 7-11.
fee
料 When buying *rice*, the fee is calculated by the cup. Naturally we don't just use any cup; it has to be a proper *measuring cup*.
diagonal
斜 The main bar of an old-fashioned *scale(balance)* will be very #diagonal# if you place a giant *measuring cup* on one side.
ax
斤 The axe-wielding maniac *nails* a poor victim, right under a *cliff*. Blood everywhere! (thanks scottamus!)
reject
斥 The kids at school used to reject me.. Made me feel really bad till I brought my *axe* to school. See the *drop* of blood on it?
severance
断 [Based on fuaburisu's] A man puts some *rice* on a *fishhook* as bait, but catches a fish so strong, he needs to take out his *axe* and #sever# the line lest he be dragged into the depths.
new
新 (I don't like the 'red pepper plant' primative so I just go for *standing atop a tree*). Here we have the woodcutter *standing atop a tree* waving his brand new *axe*. "Look what I got for christmas, yippee!"
direction
方 Note: The primitives are *top hat* and *bound up*. Compare {64}. Story: A rich man wearing a *top hat* and *bound up* from head to toe hobbles up to you and asks for #directions# to the nearest police station because he just escaped from his kidnappers.
descendants
昆 Ask a Japanese person what this kanji means, and they will surely spout 昆布 (konbu, seaweed) and 昆虫 (konchu, insect) - but beyond that they will likely be mystified. Here's my best crack at it: imagine a grandfather watching his DESCENDENTS (grandkids) playing outside under the *sun*, silently *comparing* them, considering which of them will grow up and make him proud. Suddenly, grandma calls them in for a snack of 昆布 and for a re-application of repellent to keep the 昆虫 away.
easy
易 The *sun* is *not* an easy place to get to. Hard to tie a *knot* under the sun.
once upon a time
昔 For those who don't know the expression, "salad days" means the time of one's youth. I suspect Heisig chose "salad" as the name for the radical just for this phrase...
star
星 Drinking a nama-biru of Estrella under the Valencian sun
reflect
映 Responding to criticisms of its concrete design, Big box switches to all mirrors. Now it reflects everything, and when the sun is out, it's impossible to go near.
springtime
春 Bee-gees (three people) growing bonsai when the sun goes down. Springtime is a good time coz they get plenty of Sun
yesterday
昨 Yester-DAY, all my troubles seemed SAW far away...
daytime
昼 Fun fantasy: to get a *blowj*b* starting at *nightbreak* and lasting all through the daytime.
nightfall
晩 This is EASY!!! Japanese people see a RABBIT ON THE MOON (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon_rabbit ) and so nightfall is when the *sun* leaves to make way for the *rabbit*
universal
普 People at Universal Studios wait in rows so long that the sun goes down.
clear up
晴 Its clear weather now. Smufs are sunbathing. Sun and blue sky. What more do they need?
wisdom
智 Wisdom is knowing everything OVER the sun (fools assume everything UNDER).
daybreak
暁 {旦} was yoake 夜明け = or when the night brights up - daybreak is a akatsuki (the kun reading of this character), coming from akatoki =明時 which is the exact moment at which the SUN can give life to the STRAWMAN (it used to mean the period of time when it's still dark - before dawn) {曙} is usually reserved for the figurative sense of beginning of a new era. To keep them separated i'm sorting them chronologically as : 暁(4 a.m)/曙(5:12:04)/旦(6 a.m)
spare time
暇 Some jackass-like people have way too much spare time. You can find video's of them all over the internet, if you like such things, you can watch it all *day*. You see them *stapling* their *mouths* shut, or throwing eachother *upside down in boxes* or kicking each other in the *crotch*.
sultry
暑 Chucky under the sun
warmth
暖 Ducks migrate south for the winter... they follow the warmth of the sun.
darkness
暗 Picture the sun exploding - there would be a gigantic noise and then...nothing. Everything would plunge into darkness. 暗い くらい
temporarily
暫 暫く（しばらく）お待ちください。(wait a few minutes/short while) says the japanese axe murderer after he busted your car with his axe and chopped off your wife's head. The next day he comes back with a new car for you. He is after all japanese and felt bad leaving you tempoarily without a car.
outburst
暴 Noah was having an outburst after being at sea for 40 days and 40 nights and running out of rice grains to eat. Then the *sun* suddenly burst out in an outburst over the *Ark* and there was an outburst of cheering.
weekday
曜 Tip: *feathers* + *turkey* : This combination of primitives appears six times in Heisig, so it's worthwhile giving it a name. I suggest "*futon*" (your *futon* is made from *turkey feathers*). REF: *weekday* (FRAME 576) , {577}, {1285}, {2272}, {2534}, {2880}. Story: On weekdays you hang your *futon* out in the *sun*.
sayeth
曰 "Sayeth"?! Who the hell says "sayeth"? Doesn't seem quite right...just like this kanji, which is just like "day" but doesn't seem "quite right."
bend
曲 It looks like the mouth of *Bender the robot*, from Matt Groening's animated series "Futurama". Thus, I use the character *Bender the robot* as a primitive.
grow late
更 It's starting to GROW LATE, so God will take the SUN, and TUCK IT UNDER HIS ARM, and walk away. In the morning, he'll bring it back, so don't worry.
cadet
曹 *Bender* lasted just *one day* in the space cadets.
formerly
曽 The Artist #formerly# Known as Prince has the *horniest* *brain* around, and I think you can imagine what his *wagging tongue* is doing...
exchange
替 A show like "Trading Spouses" called "exchanging husbands" where 2 husbands are exchanged for a day (thanks dingomick)
utmost
最 Carpe Diem. The utmost worst person 最悪（さいあく） is someone who *takes* the *sun*. Now everybody will die soon. What a dick.
clothing
服 It's customary to cover the *flesh* with clothing, but some designs are so outrageous they're not bigger than a *stamp* that just covers your *crotch*.
majestic plural
朕 We are wanting meat of the mastodon. But, your highness, they're mystical creatures, and even if thu are real, they've been extinct for millions of years! We want mastodon meat!
melodious
朗 Mike Hannah sing at Moon Romantic
ambition
望 You're *dead meat*, buddy, my ambition is to be *king*
period
期 The slowest remote chess game ever: a one *month* #period# between every move.
signpost
標 *Trees* were frequenly used as #signposts# in those days, indicating where one had to go to cast their *ballots*.
decay
朽 [+air,charley] Trigger: #decaying# remains. You walk by a tree and see the #decaying# remains of what looks like a dead human (? hard to tell, it's been years), still trapped in a *bear trap*. Turns out that the tree itself set them out. All of its comrades were getting chopped down, so it puts out *bear traps* to en*snare* would-be choppers and lets them simply decay, and uses their remains as nutrients.
cedar
杉 Mystique leaning against a cedar tree for a photo shoot.
lumber
材 A TREE GENIUS is a LUMBER jack. Duh.
bundle
束 Bungle with a bundle if trees in his mouth
come
来 You *horny* bastard, don't come, at least *not yet*!
cupfuls
杯 Some people can get negative when they drink cupfuls of oak-aged whiskey
east
東 Imagine that hugely symbolic Japanese SUN piercing through a TREE as it sets on Tokyo (東京), the EASTern capital .
pine tree
松 The most common *trees* found in *public parks* (公園) are #pine trees#.
plank
板 Of course, *trees* are *anti-*plank. Wouldn't you be if you were a *tree*?
chop
析 We chop down *trees* with *axes* to #analyze# their rings.
fruit
果 There really are *brain* fruit *trees*. See http://www.dpchallenge.com/image.php?IMAGE_ID=108312. Enough said.
bough
枝 A tree branch.
hinge
枢 You notice a hinge on a *tree* and realize there's a secret door. You open it up to find an *Xbox*!!!
erect
架 I'm not sure I know about erector sets or tinker toys but I do know about jenga. You play by taking *wooden* pieces from the middle of a wooden tower and *add*ing them to the top. In this way you erect a very unstable structure.
design
柄 Makes me think of Ikea. Everything is *wooden* and the design is really nice but the quality really is *third rate.*
so-and-so
某 I had the same idea as fuabrisu. A generic person is described here as having body sort of like a tree trunk and head sort of like a wicker basket/honey pot.
dye
染 The *baseball* team hangs their freshly #dye#d *dripping* jerseys at the top of a *tree* to dry.
tender
柔 Use a *halberd* to tenderize a *tree*: *halberds* can chop, poke, and slash, so it's all good!
willow
柳 A willow *tree* looks like it has *receipts* and *stamps* hanging off it.
investigate
査 A whole team of cops is sent to #investigate# how a *tree* could grow on top of a *shelf* with no soil or water.
horse chestnut
栃 There are a bunch of HORSE CHESTNUT TREES on top of this CLIFF above the beach. Chestnuts keep rolling off the cliff and falling on people`s heads. So far TEN THOUSAND people have been killed by falling chestnuts, and the Japanese government still ain`t did shit about it.
chestnut
栗 Chestnut tree, west nut tree.
exam
校 Note: this Kanji does *not* mean exam. It means school. I find this keyword an choice odd as #school# by itself is not used elsewhere. Examples: 校長 is principal (lit. school chief); 中学校 is junior high school (lit. middle study/knowledge school). To add to JetSetArnett's: at the *school*, the #trees# outside are a popular place for the students to #mingle#.
nucleus
核 The nucleus of an oak TREE is an ACORN.
root
根 The #root#s of the magical *tree* are *silver*.
mulberry
桑 Children going around the mulberry *tree* singing "This is the way we wash our *crotch*, wash our *crotch*, wash our *crotch*..."
cherry tree
桜 I was taking a picture of my *girlfriend* under the cherry tree during 花見, when an *owl* happened to poop on her at the exact moment the shutter snapped. It's really my favorite picture , just don't tell her that.
plum
梅 梅干 Umeboshi (dried plum) is placed in *every* bento at the center of the rice to represent the flag of Japan.
catalpa
梓 The CATALPA is the tree that bears the SPICY Indian bean (NOTE - The Catalpa is also known as the "Indian Bean" due to the bean pods that grow from it).
pear tree
梨 Japanese pears (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrus_pyrifolia) are very tasty fruits and frequently used as a gift in Japan. They are quite expensive, so you can assume that a farmer can make a good *profit* from these fruits after getting them from the *tree*.
contraption
械 The ten commandments were heavy. So to help carry them, Moses made a wooden contraption; the ark of the covenant.
abandon
棄 Think of a really loud and annoying baby, you want to abandon it but it keeps coming back...so you take of your belt by the buckle, and buckle the baby to a tree!
chess piece
棋 #Chess piece# = *wooden rook*.
rod
棒 I dedicate this tree... to rod stuart. f*ck knows why.
ridgepole
棟 Feng Shui states that the ridgepole of a house should be made of *wood* and face *east*.
coffin
棺 An excellent use of *wood* is to make coffins for *bureaucrat*s.
examination
検 Examination results are carved into a *tree* with *ice-picks*.
camellia
椿 The *tree* of *spring*. Fact: #Camellia# are highly valued in Japan and elsewhere for their very early flowering, often among the first flowers to appear in the late winter [early spring?].
deluge
洪 *Water* plus *Noah's Ark* equals deluge.
husk
殻 The primitives tie so nicely into a story: upon the use of *missiles* in warfare, the traditional role of *samurai* became *superfluous* in battle. How to tie it to the keyword of "husk"? Easy! Afterwards, the samurai were demoted (like potato-peeling privates), and they sat around HUSKING corn and cracking eggs and peanut shells (kanji refers to both 'husk' and 'shell'). A strong image to lock in the kanji: imagine samurai using their mighty swords to de-husk corn and split peanuts! Also see {穀}.
Mr.
殿 Only in Hollywood. The new NOAH's ARK movie had the FLAG raised over the ARK signifying it's about to leave. Crowds come to board but Noah aims MISSILES at them to hold them away. His catch phrase "They Call me MISTER Noah!!!" Well, better than Evan Almighty I guess.
every
毎 freud believed every man wants to *lie down* with his *mother*.
poison
毒 Peter Pan poisoned his mother
compare
比 Compare the two spoons... the one on the left is funny-looking.
fur
毛 I've heard of people having hair on the back of their hands, but this is ridiculous! That's not hair, that's #fur#!
family name
氏 Looks a bit like Ft => #F#amily #t#itle => Family name
people
民 Note: *Vox populi* means "voice of the people" referring to people as nation. This is often used as an abbreviation of the phrase "*Vox populi, vox dei*" which means "voice of the people, voice of god", referring to the godlike power people have over their government. In this context, I think of this character as an angry mob that is rebelling against it's corrupt government (hence we have big *mouths* which call out the unwanted officials by their *family name*).
spirit
気 Hint : the first four strokes may be seen as *Captain Hook* : *reclining on the floor*, shaking his *hook* in the air and moaning "Peter Pan! Why did you elude me again! Whyyy!". Se here we have Captain Hook having one of his fits, and about the only thing that will bring him his spirit back is a *sheaf*. The last part probably won't make sense but I am French speaking and somehow I settled onto the image of a "bouquet" of flowers for the word "sheaf".
request
求 Request ten drops of rice water
sweat
汗 The way sweat is supposed to work: it gets your skin *wet*, and then as it evaporates/*dries*, it cools you off.
dirty
汚 A hunter Washes, with WATER, his TWO SNAREs, because they are dirty.
pond
池 My mother told me that if I see a pond (notorious for their questionable water quality), I should drop a SCORPION into the WATER to see if it's clean and safe. If the SCORPION gasps, burns up, or passes out, the WATER is probably poisoned or dangerous. (Picture the splash, and a scorpion writhing and flailing around in the water).
decide
決 "#Decide#!" "#Decide#?! Death by drowning in polluted *water* or death by *guillotine*. How can I #decide#?" I asked.
vapor
汽 *Water* that is genki becomes vapor.
sink
沈 (thx geezer) The maimed waitress (no head and arms just her legs and trunk) is dropped into the water with a cement crown to make sure she sinks. She shouldn't have been so nosy about her yakuza-boyfriend's schemes.
drown / going down
没 I give this Kanji the keyword #go down# (in the sense of something plummeting or going down badly, not in the sense of descending, which is already used) because it is used in sinking (沈没), dying (戦没), and sunset (日没). It seems to me 溺 is the character for drown, and in fact it is given the keyword "drowning" later, which is just confusing to me. Story: The ship is #going down#! We were hit by a *water* *missile* (a torpedo)
swamp
沢 Gf won't swallow my brow job, so she spits it out into the swamp.
seethe
沸 Re CharleyGarrett: This liquid looks like ordinary *water*, but it will instantly seethe when it comes in contact with counterfeit *dollar bills*. The inventor must be rich (and probably has dollar signs in his eyes).
oil
油 In a rather surprising scientific breakthrough, genetically modified *Brussel sprouts* (which have become extremely absorbative), are thrown in the *water* to suck up oil spills.
reign
治 from his *water* *pedestal* Neptune reigns over his Sea Empire
run alongside
沿 Kurisu wrote: Anyone who has been to Japan has seen all the *water* in the *gullies* #running alongside# the roads and rice paddies. // Haha, in my parts we call them "gaijin traps" because almost every foreigner has run their car/bicycle/drunken ass into one at one point. In fact, if you see a gaijin #running alongside# the *water gullies* that run alongside the road, you may want to see if they need a hand.
ooze
泌 Anything full of *water* will *invariably* begin to ooze. Blood OOZED out of the vampire like flowing WATER when i drove the STAKE through his HEART, INVARIABLY killing him and soaking me in blood.
method
法 This kanji is associated with "methods", "laws", and "religious tenets". To help recall the keyword of METHOD, I'm going to use a story that also employs the 'religious tenets' side: baptism. Depending on your affiliation, you could be baptized by the Pope (法王; ほうおう) or a Buddhist high priest (法主; ほうしゅ) in a ceremony that uses *water* to dedicate you to a new purpose (your old life/ways are *gone*).
bubble
泡 To prevent people from popping bubble wrap for fun, the post office has started filling the bubbles with water
waves
波 waves are the ocean's pelt (skin)
mud
泥 TV gets weirder and weirder... Now they're doing mud wrestling shows with *nuns* splashing around in the *water*. What will they think of next?
peaceful
泰 Quietly watering your bonsai and rice grains while listening to the bee-gees. What could be more peaceful?
ocean
洋 This kanji refers to the *water*s of the Pa*sheep*hic ocean.
faction
派 DRAG + RAG = ZOMBIE (walking around slowly, dragging feet, tattered rages...) In "Left 4 Dead" there are "normal" zombies and also some FACTIONS of specialized zombies: Smoker, Hunter, Boomer, oh, and the WATER-spraying "Soaker" ZOMBIES.
current
流 Wiiiiiiillllooooooww! INFANT Daikini baby placed in the WATER and sent down the current of the STREAM. Found by Willow's kids!
clean
浄 Contenders who lose on Gladiators have to clean the Gladiators clothes.
seacoast
浜 Seacoast -> Coast Guard -> "*water soldiers*" lined up on the seacoast defending our shores.
bay
浦 The *water* of the #bay# washes all the *dog tags* up after the battle.
wandering
浪 Mike Hannah wandering by the sea
floating
浮 floating rubber ducky!!!
bathe
浴 This story is quite lascivious, sorry... Now, imagine you are at a 混浴 （こんよく） [two kanjis we now know] Onsen (温泉), and you are watching a woman bathe. Just picture the *water* dripping down her cleavage (that *valley* in between her breasts). Note: cleavage in Japanese is 谷間.
sea
海 *Every* drop of *water* will eventually return to the sea.
immersed
浸 The French maid draws a bath for her amorous master, but slips and falls in - getting immersed.
tears
涙 I see the story of Hachiko: the faithfull dog who still waited for his master to return long after he had died. Brings a tear to the eye.
fluid
液 a wet dream........water fluid that comes out at night....
graceful
淑 Wow, look at how graceful *Uncle* (the one who is lonely and coaches kids in his spare time) is in the *water*! You didn't tell me he was such a good synchronized swimmer!
deep
深 *Miss World* (see Katsuo's note on {探}) is now hiding on a *tree* because now she is afraid of the deep *water* below.
mix
混 Small-minded nationalists believe that mixed marriages water down descendants' purity.
annexed
添 God sent Noah a *Valentine's Day* card from *heaven* saying "Love ya bro, but this area needs to be annexed for my new *water* park."
pure
清 Pure sea *water* is always a radiant *blue*.
thirst
渇 You awaken from your *siesta* because you feel extremely #thirst#y so you go looking for some *water*.
finish
済 When the *goalkeeper* finishes the game, he drinks a lot of *water* and adjusts himself. He gets caught on camera..."sumimasen!"
astringent
渋 The waiter brings a Sour Feet cocktail complete with a lit sparkler. The taste is so astringent, you put the sparkler in your mouth.
mountain stream
渓 The Simpsons are on vacation. *Homer* stops to take a leak in a #mountain stream# but gets snatched by an *eagle*. Hear his scream?
strand
渚 Chucky walking by the water
transit
渡 Thanks, Stormchild: This particular form of transit is a ferry (one of the actual meanings of this character). Naturally it can only cross the *water* if it's not frozen, so the temperature must be above 0 *degrees*. In other words, it must be watery （わたり）
whirlpool
渦 Grampa's flushing the toilet, when his denture (Jawbone) pops out and gets sucked down the whirlpool!
warm
温 If you leave #water# out in the #sun# in a #dish#, naturally it will get *warm*.
harbor
港 All throughout the *deluge* Noah had been kicking himself for forgetting to bring any *snakes* onto the *Ark*. It wasn't until the *deluge* had finished, and Noah had brought the *Ark* safely back to the #harbour# that he realised that the *snakes* had been under the *Ark* all along.
hot water
湯 Imagine a hot water kettle for your tea, except this one is a pink piggy bank that pours the water from its snout (and squeals when the water is piping hot). Make sure to use a potholder!
gulf
湾 In the Gulf war Iraq troops fight back with *water* guns, rotten *apples* and *bow* 'n' arrows - so much for the 'weapons of mass destruction' !
damp
湿 An image: a shirt hangs on the oars of an old *rowboat*. Though it is slowly being dried by the *sun* high above, the occasional *drops of water* from it indicate that it is still damp.
full
満 Just imagine you and your closest Japanese class rival having a contest to see who can get full marks (満点）in a test, the winner is given *Flowers*, the looser is drenched with ice cold *water*, now imagine you *both* get full marks and so *both* of you get drenched and flowered
semi-
準 In the SEMI-finals of the *water*polo tournament, the *turkeys* were caught injecting steroids with *needles*.
gutter
溝 A gutter *funnels* *water*.
melt
溶 Imagine "WARNING: MAY CONTAIN WATER. DO NOT MELT." engraved in a bunch of ice cubes you just bought.
nourishing
滋 Going off the idea of the right side meaning rapid growth/increase of small objects, I've decided to make the right side be *Gremlins*, those little *mysterious* creatures that *double* rapidly. *Gremlins* find *water* a little too nourishing, as it makes them instantly multiply.
slippery
滑 Caution *slippery* floor sign with a skeleton instead of a stick man.
waterfall
滝 I imagine an incredibly high waterfall spilling into a small *vase*. Several *eel* are swimming over the edge and having a diving competition to see whether they can make it into the *vase*. Just imagine a few missing and you're set
stagnate
滞 This is one I keep missing, and always because of the right-hand side. I can easily associate stagnate with *water* but never with *sash.* And so I will now try to associate stagnate with something around the house that often stagnates and smells awful: the kitchen *washrag*. From washrag, I will make the association with *sash*
drip
滴 DRIPS of WATER were collected in ANTIQUE VASES since the museum had a leaky roof
drift
漂 Al is angry with the result of the Deadwood ballot, so throws them in the stream to drift away.
lacquer
漆 *Water* is falling from a *tree* onto the *umbrella* underneath which is protecting the *rice* underneath it. But it's completely dry since the umbrella is lacquered.
leak
漏 WATER always LEAKED in the spot left by the FLAG planted in the roof everytime it RAINED. Not too hard to picture a hole left in the ceiling from a flag, now leaking water.
performance
演 That was some great #performance#! He caused the *water* to shoot up into the air and form the *sign of the tiger* in airborne droplets. You sure missed a great #performance#!
rowing
漕 *Bender the cadet* (see frame 1172) is rowing, during some army exercise, and he's very afraid of *water* (Bender is a robot).
Sino-
漢 In the *water* between Japan and China, the Sino- side has put *scarecrows* in the water to try and keep the Japanese away
loose / manga
漫 One obscure Tibetan sect-- the Otaku cult-- has an unusually loose interpretation of mandala drawing practice. Instead of traditional mandalas they draw mangas (漫画). They then pour water on the image to wash it away, and begin anew.
pickling
漬 When #pickling# you MUST use distilled water! When it doesn't come out right, generally it is the *water* that is to *blame*.Less successful members of Jackson 5 started a pickling business. They all blame Michael.
steadily
漸 Water + Car + Axe: The steadily rising water was filling the car, but the firefighters took their axe and broke the window, getting me out.
undefiled
潔 To ensure he remains undefined from Venom's grasp, Peter Pan carries a dagger for protection and water for cleansing
submerge
潜 On the game show, *Husband Exchange*, one of the *husbands* does the naughty business with the other *husband*'s wife and the other *husband* gets so angry he tortures him, #submerging# his head over and over again in icy water.
lagoon
潟 Some weird fertility superstition in Niigata. Broken white egg put on a cauldron (bound up fire) and thrown into the water of the lagoon.
wet
潤 (I had the same idea as Dingomick) I imagine some prankster who put a bucket full of *water* on top of the huge *gates*, so that it would fall on the *king* as he came through them. See the king now, between the gates, all wet, dripping *drops of water*.
lucidity
澄 Scuba divers know that when you *ascend* in the *water*, your lucidity increases (For non-divers, the deeper you go, the more you become mentally impaired by nitrogen narcosis, every 50 feet is like drinking one martini). Scuba divers also know that as you *ascend* in the *water*, the lucidity of the *water* improves, too.
violent
激 When the *taskmaster* found his favorite *white compas* damaged by *water*, he became the most violent *taskmaster* there ever was.
voiced
濁 This is a rather tragic pictograph of me trying to explain about voiced consonants to one of my phonics classes. All *eyes* gaze at me blankly (heads tilted quizzically) and I spray little drops of *water* (saliva) as I desperately try to explain about the buzzing *insect* which is *bound up* in your throat. 清濁 (せいだく) : good and evil, purity and impurity; 濁る (にごる) : become muddy or impure.
concentrated
濃 The *agriculture* of Florida is concentrated on making concentrated orange juice. Just add *water*! Imagine a can of FCOJ, dumping it into a pitcher and adding *water*
overflow
濫 The *overseer* isn't doing his job and he lets the slaves #overflow# the sink!
laundry
濯 At the laundry you stuff your large *futon* (made from *turkey feathers*) in the machine, thereby causing it to break -- as shown by the *water* spurting out the side.
rapids
瀬 the water in the rapids can't be trusted.
hearth
炉 This hearth is equipped with a *fire*-proof *door*. On the kanji you can see somewhat pictographically the *fire*-proof *door* keeping the *fire* behind, and nothing comes under the *door* primitive, where you would have expected to see another primitive.
cook
炊 Japanese cooking sometimes *lacks* *fire*, e.g., sashimi.
charcoal
炭 Burn enough charcoal and you'll have a *mountain* of* ash*
do
為 In this kanji, you can see 3 katakana characters: ソ, ユ, and then ユ again followed by TAIL FEATHERS. STORY: "So (ソ) you (ユ) wanna DO it?" "Only if you (ユ) do" says the female bird as she raises her TAIL FEATHERS.
ardent
烈 The nazis were ardent believers in the master arian race, see them marching everyone else into the *oven fires*, single *file*.
crow
烏 The book's story is just fine, but I found a kanji dictionary explanation also interesting: As crows are all black, it's hard to see where their eyes are (black on black), so a stroke is removed from the part in the pictograph where the eyes would be.
nothingness
無 as the *heat/flames* rises up through the *oaken tub* for a long period of time, all the water evaporates and what's left is nothingness
char
焦 When I put the *turkey* over the *oven fire*, it ended up being #charred# beyond recognition. Christmas dinner was ruined!
bake
焼 I see the *strawman* as *The Wicker Man* (which incidentally I would recommend to all!). Without wanting to spoil the film for those who haven't seen it, let's just say that if you have seen the movie, this one is easy!
smoke
煙 In the *old west* people not only *fired* up and smoked tobacco filling the air with its smoke but they chewed it too, spitting it on the *ground*.
boil
煮 Instead of puppet, I use Chucky. *Chucky* is being boiled to death over a *fire* at the end of one of the movies.
bear
熊 Most don't know it, but #bear#s have the *ability* to walk on *fire*. They're invincible creatures!
heat
熱 This is *Mario* avoiding the *fire*'s heat. http://retromedia.ign.com/retro/image/article/870/870378/super-mario-bros-20080429110134449_640w.jpg
burn
燃 The Japanese are very particular about what SORT OF THINGs are considered BURNable trash and what's not.
bomb
爆 Actually means explosion, like an outburst of fire.
claw
爪 Pictograph, see book.* I prefer the primitive meaning of an eagle rather than vulture. Somehow vulture makes me think more about meat and dead corpses than claws. An eagle however immediately brings to my mind the image of an eagle plunging into a stream catching fish in his claws, or that of the great eagles rescuing Bilbo and his party in Jrr Tolkien's novel "Bilbo the Hobbit".
baron
爵 An *eagle* stole #baron# Eubank's *eye* in the war, but now he has a *silver* coin *glued* in the socket instead.
father
父 Father will live to be eighty
one-sided
片 A one-sided romance--he proposes and she says no. (Thanks to fuaburisu)
printing block
版 Before the advent of printers in Japan, typewriters couldn't be built as they were in the west due to how many kanji there are. Lots of small printing blocks had to be used instead. *One side* of the printing block would have a mirrored (*anti*) image of the kanji. This is true.
tusk
牙 You can save yourself a lot of trouble because Heisig is correct on {牙} (4), {芽} (8), {邪} (8) but not {雅} (5th edition says 12, but WWWJDIC says 13). So: In it's Kanji form, it has four (4) strokes, in it's primitive form (I suggest: ivory because that's what elephant tusks are made of) it has always five (5) strokes for all Kanji in RTK1.
thing
物 The *cow*'s "#thing#" is tied in a *knot*! ouch.
animal sacrifice
牲 Animal sacrifice = taking the life of a cow. Then having a nama-beer. Wayhay! Yakiniku!
sacrifice (my sacrifice)
犠 In Argentina I didn't eat steak (*cow*) because Yuko believes it is a *righteous* thing to do.
crime
犯 Crimes can often be solved using the tools of dogs and fingerprints.
single
独 Single guy's apartment filled with insects and wild dogs.
cramped
狭 In a cramped space Edward scissor hands is trying to fend off some wild dogs...then realises he has long scissors as hands and uses them to kill the wild dogs and get out of the cramped space.(alternatively he trims the wild dogs and turns them into harmless poodles so he can get out of the cramped space)
fierce
猛 I picture a fierce little fat kid, defending his dish of food from a pack of dogs.
game hunting
猟 Undaunted by anti-hunting laws, the toffs take their packs of wild dogs, and throw corn stalks in the wind at owls....
boar
猪 *Chucky* is being chased through the long grass by a *pack of wild dogs*. He's looking behind him to see where they are until he runs smack into a boar. Now he had an angry swine to deal with... karma for being a murderer I guess.
offering
献 a *South* Korean street vendor is offering *chihuahu* snacks
waver
猶 You'd waver too if you came across a pack of *wild dogs* all hopped up on *Red Bull*.
monkey
猿 clever monkey captures wild dogs in a lidded crock with and wraps it with a scarf.
animal
獣 I have a strange story for this one but it works. I imagine a *owl* getting into a *rice field* which serves as a boxing ring. His opponent is a little *chihuahua*. The fight starts, the *owl* takes *one* punch to the *mouth* and is out cold. In the *chihuahua`s* corner is that coach from Rocky saying "Your an ANIMAL!!". A vivid image of this story works pretty well for me.
seize
獲 A pack of genetically-modified *wild dogs* is seized by a group of Greenpeace activists and taken onboard the Greenpeace vessel (the* flower vessel*, see {700}).
mysterious
玄 A cocoon in a top hat eating brown rice is in your hallway. Mysterious...
ratio
率 Gandalf being electricuted (sparkler around him) holding a needle. Keep separate from proportion.Picture the ratio in large fonts on the screen '16:9' infront of him which he wants to adjust. He's poking around the inside of his monitor with a *needle* when he causes a short circuit. This in turn electricuted Gandalf. Image: GANDALF having ELECTRICITY around him (sparkler) and he's holding a NEEDLE
rare
珍 The king has a really rare umbrella, it can change shape.
squad
班 IMAGE: http://wp.me/p41sca-2l *Britney Spears* is trying out for the cheerleading squad, with two *balls* (i.e. pom poms), one on each side. [thx shirahime & bchallenor].
ball
球 The *king requests* to see his favorite three BALL games: eminent-ball (卓球; ping pong), field-ball (野球; baseball), and courtyard-ball (庭球; tennis). He was having a great time until he caught a ball in the golden-jewels (金玉; balls)!
logic
理 The king of LOGIC is the computer.
ring
環 Together with the next kanji, the keywords spell "send back the ring". First we have a *jewel*. Next we have the *great eye* of Sauron searching for the fellowship hiding under the many *ceilings* during their journey. The fourth and fifth primitives are the *mouth* of Gollum always mumbling "My preciousss"; and Pippin's *scarf*! Placement: the eye appears at the top similarly to how the Great Eye of Sauron is perched atop the Dark Tower.
melon
瓜 The housewives *CLAW*ed and *ELBOW*ed each other to buy the first MELON of the season.
tile
瓦 [#true stroke order#] First draw *#T#* for Tile, which then becomes *#I#*. Then draw an *'#L#' fish hook* with a *dash* in the middle to make a mediocre '#e#' that few can see.//ガ wa3 와 (wa)
flower pot
瓶 You knock the flower pot over and it breaks into pieces all over the floor *tiles*. You work furiously with your two hands to rearrange the pieces. It's almost like a *puzzle*. Hurry, your mom is almost home.
sweet
甘 Little red riding hood is carrying around a wicker basket filled with sweet baked cookies for granny.
tremendously
甚 It's a tremendous match between the two chess-players. They are clearly eachother's equal.
life
生 Whatever
products
産 The nama-beer salesman is *standing on the cliff*'s edge. "Buy my products!! Buy my products! Or else I'll take my own *life*"! Man, that's selling on pressure.
utilize
用 to tenderize *meat* in an emergency wilderness situation, just utilize your *walking stick*!
wherefore
由 "#Wherefore# art thou Romeo?" says Juliet on her balcony as she plucks brussel sprouts instead of rose petals. (This takes on the primitive of the much more memorable *BRUSSEL SPROUT*).
armor
甲 Funny.. this appeared to me as a pictograph of a samurai's armor. Then I looked up images of the samurai armor and it is not even remotely similar. Then I realised it looks in fact like the belly of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which I somehow associated with the samurai armor because of the "turtle samurai" that appeared earlier. Fits me. The bit that pokes down is to protect the genitals, I guess.
speaketh
申 I imagine thomeone who can not pronounth the "s" and speaketh like thith becauth they have a *cane* in their *mouth*.
man
男 Male is seen here as muscles working in the field, in other words working in the rice fields is the work of the male who are usually stronger. This is more or less the meaning of the original Chinese character.
brush-stroke
画 You decide one day to paint a kanji on your ceiling. Unfortunately, you don't have a brush, so, being innovative, you use a sprout. Knowing it could be messy, you search for a drop-cloth, but can't find one. Instead, you put a shovel down on the floor to catch any drips resulting from the BRUSH-STROKEs.
paddy ridge
畔 A PADDY-RIDGE divides the RICE FIELD in HALF
detain
留 The use of RANSOM NOTE (think of a receipt with a dagger through it on a door) works great with DETAIN. Here the RANSOM NOTE says that the 留学生 has been DETAINED in an undisclosed location. To get her back take the RANSOM to a empty FIELD.
livestock
畜 The #livestock# are disappearing! I've placed *Gandalf* over the *rice field* to protect them.
furrow
畝 The farmer uses a *mummy* to plow furrows in the *field*, but he disguises him with a *tophat* so he doesn't scare the neighbors.
turn
番 (I use *animal droppings* instead of *animal tracks* to avoid confusion.) Story: Workers slack off in the *rice field* taking turns at a dice game, using *animal droppings* as the dice (for lack of other implements). What game are they playing? Craps, of course.
uncommon
異 _potentially offensive (sorry): It's uncommon to find someone with *brains* who also believes in the story of Noah's *Ark*.
tatami mat
畳 the king is peacefully sleeping on his new tatami mat when all of a sudden a shelf falls over and kills him. You can see his crown poking out and the brains splatter out the top of his head from all the pressure
alienate
疎 Bungle has a f*cked up leg, and consequently, due to his limp, he has been alienated.
doubt
疑 (Katsuo) You come at the zoo entrance. `Here sir, a spoon to feed the animals.` cool `and a dart(gun) in case stuff go wrong` ....` please chop-seal (sign) here for in case of accidents the zoo is not responsible.` `lion feeding time is. bla bla` You are having serious doubts about if you still want to go into this zoo.
epidemic
疫 *Sickness-missiles* are being engineered by bio-terrorists to spread epidemics all over the world. Imagine seeing footage of a place where those* sickness-missiles* are built : rows after rows of *missiles*, and if you look closely on each is inscribed in tiny letters the name of different *sickness* such as "flu", "plague", etc.
tired
疲 I picture an #exhausted# *sick caveman* snuggling up in a *comfy pelt blanket*.
rapidly
疾 Wilma has given Barney Rubble's adopted son Bamm-bamm a new toy. It's a rapid-fire dart-gun which fires darts rapidly. He's enjoying practicing it on Fred. "WILMAAAAAAAAA!"
ill
病 Hungover Fred Flinstone has to take a third class carriage to Ikea. He feels ill
symptoms
症 Doctor: "let's go over your symptoms, *caveman*., shall we? Do you have a stuffy nose?" Caveman: "correct". Doctor: "Does your throat hurt?" Caveman: "correct". Doctor: "well, caveman, it sounds like you have a cold!"
pox
痘 Mr Bean and Fred Flinstone are sick. They have pox as big as beans!
pain
痛 The CAVEMAN felt such a pain after his POGO STICK got stuck in his butt.
pray
祈 Religious freedom has not always been respected throughout history, and nobody knew how to force religion on an indigenous people like the Spanish missionaries. They posted conquistadors at either side of the *altars* at the local missions, and if anybody refused to pray, they would get the *axe*.
welfare
祉 Marxist belief: To improve general welfare, the influence of the *altar* must be *stop*ped. Maybe the Marxists had a point.... (Mnemonic: Welfare = *Stop* the *altar*) 福祉 (ふくし): welfare
ancestor
祖 In Japanese religion, people keep the ashes of their ancestors on a shelf.
celebrate
祝 When Japanese people turn 20 they usually visit the *altar* at their local shrine and celebrate no longer being a *teenager*.
gods
神 *Speaketh* before the *altar* to the monkey gods
auspicious
祥 On this #ewe-spicious# occasion, you sacrifice a *sheep* at the *altar*.
ballot
票 In Deadwood, ballots were held at the altar.
ritual
祭 A ritual such as a circumcision: a small piece of flesh from the crotch is left on the altar.
prohibition
禁 If you live in Japan, your main exposure to this kanji is probably "no smoking" signs. So I imagine the government enacting a prohibition of tobacco, and burning whole groves of tobacco plants on an altar (the altar of public health, or self-righteousness, if you will).
Zen
禅 Hooters girls at the altar
calamity
禍 Bit of a calamity at the wedding. The bride tripped and broke her *jawbone* on the *altar*. Funniest home vids here we come.
blessing
福 Or Scientology!This recalls the selling of indulgences in the history of the Church (As an aside, Protestantism began as a protest of this practice). Basically, one gave *wealth* to the *altar* (i.e. priest) and received a *blessing*. If you prefer a Jewish version, think of the donation (*wealth*) that is expected when you're called to the ark (*altar* in the kanji) to give a blessing over the torah.
excel
秀 You spend three hours putting all of your *wheat* sale transaction records into #Microsoft Excel#, when suddenly it crashes, so you put your *fist* through the monitor.
private
私 A joke so bad as "wheatashi wa" deserves an elbow in the private parts.
autumn
秋 in AUTUMN, the WHEAT looks the color of FIRE, meaning it's time to harvest it.
department
科 University departments study things like *wheat* (agriculture) and the *big dipper* (physics/astronomy), and exact *measuring cups* (engineering).
second
秒 An hourglass filled with *wheat* counts time. A *few* *wheat seeds* drop every second.
secret
秘 the prize at the bottom of a *cereal* box is *invariably* a secret decoder ring.
tariff
租 If wheat you eat, pay tariff to sharif!
regularity / well-ordered
秩 This does NOT mean periodic/occurring with normal frequency. The meaning of regularity Heisig was going for is " \tevenly or uniformly arranged". I just changed this to #well-ordered# to decrease confusion. If your *wheat* is not #well-ordered#, you will *lose* a lot of it. "No where's that *wheat* harvest from 6/23/06...I really should make my *wheat* #well-ordered#".
appellation
称 Taking appellation to mean the act of naming, we have the *little* baby superman *reclining* in the space craft that landed in a *wheat* field. Mr. and Mrs. Kent look down and decide to call him Clark. (I also thought of Jesus but he was born in a barn full of hay not wheat)
shift
移 Picture the WHEAT field, filled with MANY, MANY stalks of WHEAT. Notice how they SHIFT like waves in the slightest breeze. When you hear SHIFT, just picture that scene.
extent
程 The extent to which some people will go to create '*wheat displays*', or as some call them 'crop circles', is truly amazing.
tax
税 Devil takes your wheat bread
immature
稚 #Immature# *turkeys* are stuffed with *wheat* to make it look bigger.
species
種 This kanji also means "Seed." STORY: Scientists have developed a new SPECIES of WHEAT that has large HEAVY seeds. Now we can feed the world.
rice plant
稲 In *olden times* it was found that wild *vultures* would attack *wheat* so they switched to #rice#.
earnings
稼 Your #earnings# allow you to bring *home* your daily bread (made of *wheat*, naturally).
draft
稿 Aliens often draft their plans for invasion by cutting designs among the *tall* *wheat*
cereals
穀 there are different cereals in different parts of the world. Japan has *samurai* cereal. Great Britain has *Crowned Wheat* ... the United States and Russia have *Missile* cereals
ear of a plant
穂 I crept out into the *wheat* field that fateful night and whispered into the ear #(of a plant)# "Do me a *favour*" and explained what I wanted. The next day they took me away and put *needles* in my *brain* and electrodes on my *heart*. It wasn't what I'd wanted at all.
volume
積 Jackson 5 measuring the volume of a wheat field singing Blame it on the Boogie
calm
穏 This whole kanji is a picture of #calm#ness. The *wheat* has been harvested and even the *vultures* sit calmly watching the humans *sweep* and clean-up after the harvest is over. *Hearts* are peaceful and calm at this time of the year. Even the days are calm without storm.
harvest
穫 The harvest of genetically modified crops is taken onboard the Greenpeace vessel (see the *flower vessel* in {700}).
coarse
粗 Refined rice [1535] can only be found in exclusive grocery shops. Coarse *rice* by contrast fills the supermarket *shelves* - don't go looking for anything else there. Rice is not nice, it's as coarse as a horse, of course
sticky
粘 This is another way of *fortune telling* -- throw sticky *rice* against the wall, and look for the message in whatever sticks.
solemn
粛 A strange protest at a J-league game where supporters have gathered but remained unusually solemn. All at once they throw rice between the goalposts. The groundsman comes on and solemnly rakes up the rice.
cosmetics
粧 Cave soil is bat guano (feces). A derivative of guano called guanine is sometimes used in the production of mascara. Rice extracts like starch and oil are used in a range of cosmetic and hygiene products for their moisturising and nourishing effects on the hair and skin.
refined
精 Heisenberg makes refined Viagra using rice
sugar
糖 sugar made from rice has a tangy flavour
provisions
糧 Imagine Japanese army provisions like obentou boxes, always containing the same *quantity* of *rice*. (thanks darg_sama, emphasizing *quantity* and the nuance of food "rations", "food supply": the kanji also appears in "military provisions" and "army rice")
thread
糸 I also went with Spiderman. However, in the cases where this primitive appears under other primitives, as opposed to on the left (I think there are ~5 times in this chapter) I've opted to use a similar character: Venom. This helps keep the positioning clear, especially on such characters as {細} and {累}.
lineage
系 (Primitive: *DNA*, a drop of looong spiraled thread that is the key to your #lineage#).
twist
糾 Pepsi promotion where cans in the shape of cornucopia you twist off the cap to find pictures of your favorite heroes like *Spider-Man* or members of the *Fantastic Four*
chronicle
紀 worst fan fiction ever....SPIDERMAN joins the CHRONICLES of narnia to battle a big 21st century SNAKE!
promise
約 Anytime *Spiderman* breaks a promise, Aunt Mae hits him one over with her *ladle*.
crimson
紅 Spiderman crafted a crimson costume to fight crime in.
family crest
紋 Who knew that *Spiderman* was *Scottish!* He has sewn his family crest onto his uniform.
settlement
納 Crazy doctor wearing a Spider-Man costume and eating natto during an operation. Patient died. Settlement needed!
genuine
純 "Primitive *earthworm*: Drops of rain were falling so I took my shovel to dig up some earthworms to put them on my fishhook*.* OR *Earthworm Jim*'s prized possession is a genuine copy of the #1 issue of *Spider-Man*. And oddly enough, *Spider-Man*'s most prized possession is a genuine first edition of *Earthworm Jim*."
paper
紙 Peter Parker's original name was Peter Paper, but they decided to change it before the comic was released.
class
級 This Kanji is the same ones used in the Japanese Language proficiency tests; i.e. ikkyuu (一級) The Kanji doesnt describe class as in a "class of students" or "classroom," but rather a grade of quality or ability. Spiderman is taking the JLPT Level 1. In desperation he REACHES OUT to grab his friend's answer sheet next to him, who seems to be doing well. The other test takers are obviously a class above him. Looks like this test is above his class of knowledge.
distract
紛 Spiderman got distracted when someone yelled, "Spiderman, wait a minute." He turned around and flew into a building. ("part" also means "minute")
elementary
素 Venom and Peter Pan were elementary level students in elementary ad didn't even know the difference between oxygen and hydrogen
spinning
紡 The easiest way to spin some *threads* is to hook them up to a *compass* and take them to the North Pole. he compass will spin like crazy and the threads will spin with it. I confuse this with {揺}. Spiderman can spin his webs in any direction. Spiderman spinning his compass like it's a yoyo.
cord
索 Small tweak to akrodha's story to help with primitive placement: *Venom* has forced a *crown* of *needles* (a *needle crown*) on a victim's head and has attached an electrical cord to it, and is about to plug the cord into an outlet. 軸索 (じくさく): axon 捜索 (そうさく): search, investigation 探索 (たんさく): exploration, search 救命索 (きゅうめいさく): lifeline 索引 (さくいん): index (Used in various medical/technical terms with meanings of ligament/cord)
purple
紫 If you use #Venom# for the lower primitive, this kanji is a piece of cake. The upper primitive is the left part of {雌}. So, PURPLE is the color of Agony, the #female# offspring of #Venom#
accumulate
累 (dingomick) *Venom* is upset because Spidey is just that much brainier than he is! He chooses to accumulate as many *brains* as he can, snatching them out of people's heads and storing them on top of his own, till there's just one massive *brain* on top of his head!
dainty
細 I just imagined *Spiderman* prancing around in a *ricefield*, acting all dainty, and it made me laugh.
sire
紳 Monkeys are very adept at swinging around trees. But when they met Spiderman, who could swing around even better than they could, they all quickly addressed him as sire.
introduce
紹 Spiderman seduces all the girls he's introduced to.
navy blue
紺 Spidey likes the schoolgirl dressed in navy blue
end
終 This *winter* is so cold that *spiderman*'s web gets brittle! Could this be the end of *spiderman*?
association
組 The leader of the *Spiderman* association has tons of *Spiderman* figurines lined up on his *shelf*
tie
結 Ok, here, you have to think of the phrase "TIE the knot" , which means a wedding (this kanji is used in the marriage compound 結婚 けっこん ). Now, at US weddings, it ends with the couple driving away with cans being dragged behind the car. So here, think of SPIDERMAN, who will TIE the knot with Mary Jane. At his wedding, Spider THREAD attached (or TIED) to SPRAYCANS are being drug behind the limo as they drive off.
strangle
絞 Spiderman hates going to parties and having to mingle. He wants to strangle someone after just a little small talk.
entwine
絡 *Spider-man* has developed different kinds of *thread* to entwine *each* different villain with. Metal webbing for Doc Ock, gas-proof webbing for Green Goblin, alien-proof webbing for Venom...
salary
給 Spider-Man complaining that his salary doesn't fit his line of work.
overall
統 The overall *threads* 糸 which tie us together as a society, like government and tradition, control what we are *allotted* 充 in life. There are *a lot* of these threads ... 統制、とうせい, control, regulation (+ system); 伝統、でんとう, tradition (transmit +); 統べる、すべる, to govern, control.
picture
絵 Peter Parker is in a meeting with his editor who wants a picture of Spider-Man. Peter gives him a hand-drawn picture instead.
discontinue
絶 The *Spider-man*'s multi-colored tie-dye costume comic book series was discontinued after only one issue because of poor sales and fan protests
silk
絹 Spider-man loves to run his mouth all over Mary Jane`s silky flesh
inherit
継 "Inherit this" says Spider-Man as he goes fishing with his hook and rice
continue
続 Here's how Spiderman comics sell: At the end of the comic they leave with with a cliffhanger and say "to be continued". In fact, the japanese verb 続く is used in comics and tv shows to mean "to be continued". They have adapted the model created by Spiderman to hook the readers so that they can sell more comics.
fiber
維 Hey, *Spidey*! Eat that *turkey* if you want, but make sure you eat some fibers: you want spidey *threads*, don't ya?
hawser
綱 *Spiderman* saves Japan from floating away by tying *Mt. Fuji* to mainland Asia using a hawser made of web.
netting
網 *Spiderman* traps The Rhino under the *hood* of his famous netting, where even Rhino's *horns* can not break free, in fact if the netting did not dissappear after a few hours then Rhino might even *perish* in there.
cotton
綿 Cotton is the preferred *thread* for making *white* *towels*.
tense
緊 Whenever Venom is tense or in an emergency, he calms down by getting to it on his sex slave's crotch.
general
総 #NOTE#: This kanji stands for [#Total#, All, whole, gross]. The Kanji commonly used for "In general" will appear later as {般}. Spider-Man totally kills Abe, sooooo the total general public love him
green
緑 Spider-Man dressed in green representing Ireland in curling.
thong
緒 Spider-Man and Chucky *together* wearing *thongs*
line
線 This kanji is used for train #lines#. *Spiderman* does a hot *spring* tour of Japan using the train #lines#. You can see the Spidey costume hanging on the washing #line# as he enjoys the onsen.
tighten
締 (astridtops) Spiderman managed to get behind the sovereign. (pick your favourite nowadays country ruler who isn`t doing a good job). Spidey has tightend a web around the sovereing`s throat. As long as the sovereign says what spidey whispers, he will be fine. Sovereign yelping : ` we will draw are troops back! and we will spend more money on healthcare, schools and less on wars!` Spidey whispering: ` If you continue at this pace, you might be doing good things AND the people will like you.`
compilation
編 Whereas Mr.T was partial to KONBINI HENTAI, SPIDERMAN likes to wait for the COMPILATION. He finds it more convenient to have his hentai compiled in one volume to read on the loo.
slacken
緩 oh no *Spiderman* has some *migrating ducks* stuck in his web, he has to slacken it so they can get out.
horizontal
緯 Spider-Man vs Chris Eubank make a weird porno; full frontal horizontal.
practice
練 Spidey stays on the east side of the city to practice. The West Side is too dangerous.
affinity
縁 I hate doing this, since the Simpson's Movie was recent. But think of the AFFINITY Homer had with the PIG that was to be killed. The AFFINITY first had SPIDER PIG (Spiderpig, spiderpig, does whatever a spiderpig does). Then Homer dressed the PIG up with a BROOM and glasses making him Harry PORKER. Homer had more AFFINITY for that PIG than his family, hence hilarity ensues.
straw rope
縄 Spider-Man liberates the bound up tortoise
truss
縛 Spider-Man got angry with the acupuncturist poking him with needles he tied him up in a truss and hung him to death.
vertical
縦 You may only *accompany* *spiderman* if you're able to climb buildings vertically.
sew
縫 Spider-Man's pants rip exposing his pubes. Sews a new pair o pants.
shrink
縮 After spending the night at an *inn*, *spider man* discovered to his dismay that his costume had #shrunk# in the wash, and no longer fit!
exploits
績 *Spidey'*s exploits are world famous but still The Daily Bugle's pages *blame* him for every problem out there. Also, Peter blames his poor grades on Spider-Man.
luxuriant
繁 Key word is *luxuriant* (abundant or lush in growth, as vegetation; teeming). *Venom* uses his *cleverness* to create a luxuriant garden, teeming with luxuriant vegetation, in a bid to lure Mary Jane into his clutches. (Thanks esaulgd.)
weave
織 *Spiderman*'s housemate insists on playing the *kazoo* every night, despite *Spiderman*'s protests. Eventually, *Spiderman* can't bear it anymore and weaves a tight web around his housemate's face to prevent him from playing the *kazoo*. 織布 (しょくふ): woven cloth, fabric 織物 (おりもの): fabric, textile
darning
繕 After a day being *virtuouos* and keeping the city safe, *Spiderman*'s outfit is in need of some repair. Luckily, as he can shoot out threads darning is very easy for him to do
cocoon
繭 Cocoons of Spider-Man and an insect in a two section canopy with flowers on top.
winding
繰 Primary meaning of this kanji has to do with turning pages/leafing through a book so I focus on that meaning. Also taking the furniture suggestion from Katsuo about the primitive on the right and making it even more concrete by having it refer to IKEA. Here I see Spiderman reading an IKEA catalogue, he's lost in thought leafing through the pages.
tin can
缶 From the makers of Mountain Dew comes a new taste, Mountain Horse!
guilt
罪 EYE-witnesses helped prove this person's GUILT and put them in a JAIL CELL... now constantly under the watchful EYES of the prison guards.
placement
置 On the JET Programme, many people have their *eye* on a placement in Tokyo, Osaka or another big city, and write it on their application form. They are usually sent to the countryside *straightaway*
penalty
罰 There is a 3-way masterplan for every goalkeeper to prevent a goal at penalty shootout: 1. Look directly into the *eyes* of the player — 2. Confuse him by screaming senseless *words* — 3. Pull out your *saber* and ... (that's up to you)
signature
署 Chucky takes his eye out to write his signature
quit
罷 Quitting: *looking down* at your *ability* - or lack thereof.
gauze
羅 Rocky won the match but left with a nasty *eye* injury, and needs some gauze for it. I use a modified version of the Rocky theme song to remember this one -- "the *eye* and the *fiber*".
flock
群 I picture a flock of sheep sitting around talking, smoking tobaco outa pipes and talking in haughty british accents..."well old boy... " because every one knows sheeps are basically the uptight brits of the animal kingdom.
envious
羨 A very thirsty sheep, who always *lacked* *water*, spends his days watching his fellow *sheep* (in the farm next door or in another pen) and being very envious of their *water*.
righteousness
義 Righteous Christians are sheep with egos
venerable old man
翁 The venerable old man is using the *public restroom* in the park where he feeds the pigeons. But, alas, there is no toilet paper! So, he's caught a pigeon and is using it to wipe his bottom. (note the feathers on the bottom of the kanji, this helps remember placement). Can you see the *feathers* flying everywhere?
the following
翌 Imagine the TWITTER bird (its always standing, and it has feathers) -- someone named 'the following' is following you on twitter
learn
習 Imagine a white bird loosing a *couple feathers* as it is learning to fly. You learn a lesson as you watch it doing so, maybe you learn that "nothing comes for free" or that "one has to be prepared to loose in order to gain"...
flip
翻 Don't play *dice* with birds. When you're not looking, they'll flip the *dice* with their *feathers*.
wing
翼 It would be uncommon to see feathers on your chicken wings
old man
老 An old man, wondering what it's like in a grave, *sits* in a freshly dug plot. When a gravekeeper mistakes him for dead and begins burying him with *soil*, the old man saves himself by flailing his *walking stick* in the air.
consider
考 Before shooting an *old man* with a *slingshot*, one shold carefully consider the possible consequences.
someone
者 Back in the *day*, the *old man* used to be someone. His name was in the papers and all that. I use CHUCKY from the movie Child's Play as my major alternate meaning for this primitive.
-proof
耐 [akrodha] My comb is rust-proof, water-proof, and fire-proof. But unfortunately it is not idiot-proof--and I glued it to myself.
till
耕 If you just grow your christmas tree in a well, there will be no need to till the soil.
decrease
耗 Real fur coats and real christmas trees are dereasing the last couple of years. Plasctic chrismas trees and fake fur it is nowadays.
ear
耳 Pictograph, see book. * The primitive meaning can easily be extended to ear plugs.
holy
聖 A holy man hears with his *ears* before he speaks with his *mouth*, which places him higher than a *king* in people's esteem.
hear
聞 press your ear to the gates and see if you can hear what is going on inside
listen
聴 To detect lies, *Darth Vader* turns up his *ear* piece loud enough so that he can hear someone's *heart* beat, and closely listens. チョウ 聴覚、聴講、聴診器。
post
職 Worst post in history: quality checker at the kazoo factory. Imagine the toll on your ears!
meat
肉 A *person's* *inside* - fleshy, raw, pink, meat.
liver
肝 Vampires will eat every part of the body bar the liver.
limb
肢 limb = *meat branch* (sometimes it's almost too easy)
fertilizer
肥 PART OF YOUR BODY excretes something that is commonly used for FERTILIZER. Sometimes this process is slow, so you solve a RUBIK'S CUBE while you sit and wait.
doth
致 This character is used in two very high-frequency words: "you are welcome" (どう致しまして) and the honorific form of onegaishimasu (お願い致します; おねがいいたします). Can't you just picture this ridiculously polite S&M picture? A businessman, who DOTH the bidding of his *taskmistress*, is *climaxing* and yelling out "お願い致します" while she whips and says "どう致しまして". (This kanji also means "to bring about" and "do humbly", which is perfect for this image).
entertain
興 This is a pictograph an #entertainment# system (two speakers left and right of the main unit, which has a CD slot and a tape deck) on a table-top.
shop
舗 Soldiers used to go the "lady-shop" at the edge of town. It was a little cottage stocked with women. All you had to do was show your dogtags to be admitted.
dance
舞 Kabuki. Wear sunglasses, cos there's nothing good about kabuki, and you're definitely going to sleep.
boat
舟 I see this kanji as a pictograph of a two story boat seen from the front. The *glass canopy* is the body of the boat. The *drop* on top is the chimney. The horizontal line is the *ceiling/floor* between the the 1st/2nd floor. Finally, the *two drops* in the middle are the lights on the decks.
navigate
航 To navigate a "boat" through a "whirlwind" takes a skilled #navigator#.
carrier
般 Carrier?! This means "general" (as in the general public or generally). OK.. Carriers, i.e. boats with missiles, are not available to the general public.
liner
舶 The most famous LINER is the Titanic, which struck an iceberg and sunk. Just imagine that huge LINER strucking an even huger mass of #white# ice.
ship
船 A boy floats his toy *boat* in a *gully* and imagines it as an immense #ship#.
rowboat
艇 In venice, the *boat* used by the *courts* to transport criminals is a rowboat.
warship
艦 The warship towers over the smaller benign *boats*, *overseeing* their safe path from port to port.
good
良 Mike Hannah
color
色 *Bound up* in the *Rubik's cube* are the 6 different #colours#
glossy
艶 If you go to have photo's printed, you may be asked if you would like a matted or GLOSSY finish. For nature shots, with BOUNTIFUL COLORS, I would recommend going with GLOSSY paper.
potato
芋 Believe it or not, originally the #potato# was cultivated because of its beautiful *flowers* rather than for eating the actual "*potato*" below. (historical fact)
turf
芝 Zorro, with a flower between his teeth for the ladies, defends his turf against evildoers. "This is my turf! And this...is for the lady."
flower
花 When do you buy flowers? Right, when your girlfriend is mad at you. You hope that it *changes* everything, especially her mood. - I know, it's a bit naive... ;-)
perfumed
芳 Perfume is OK, but real *flowers*の*方*がいい
technique
芸 Used in 芸者 (げいしゃ) and 芸術 (げいじゅつ, see {1525}). Make-up as white as a *cloud*, dressed in a kimono with a *flower* pattern, and trained in several artistical #techniques# such as *flower* arrangement.
bud
芽 Zoo keepers are baffled as to why the tips of the elephant's *tusks* keep #budding# into *flowers*.
garden
苑 Japanese "#gardens#" aren't anything more than a pot of *flowers* on top of the *mailbox*.
England
英 Big Box has an English fair and is selling roses.
stalk
茎 Suggestion: Replace "spool" with "toilet paper/roll". Reasons: (1) *Toilet paper/roll* usually comes on a *spool*. (2) *Toilet paper* is used to clean the *soil* off your *crotch*. Story: Just get a *flower* and carefully wrap some *toilet paper* around its stalk. Spool also appears in {716}, {717}, {882}, {1360}
briar
茨 a new movie about flowers: " briar witch project ", which #flower# is going to be the #next#?
laid waste
荒 All was #laid waste# by the Giant Octopus (*flowers*= the eyes, *perish*= nose and mouth, *flood*= tentacles)! Even the *FLOWERS PERISHED* in the *FLOOD*.
baggage
荷 TSA guard: *What's* in the #baggage#?! It's just *flowers*, I swear!
chrysanthemum
菊 #Chrysanthemum# *flower* consists of many tiny petals, just like many *rice* grains *bound up* together.
germ
菌 Keep your *wheat pent in* an airtight container or it may catch #germs# and sprout *flowers*.
confectionary
菓 This candy is made in the shape of a *flower*, each petal with the taste of a different *fruit*.
vegetable
菜 A vegetarian vulture is munching on a *flower*, perched on a *tree*, patiently waiting for a patch of vegetables to grow.
splendor
華 Silage isn't a helpful image for me so I'm substituting *greenhouse* instead (thanks to tharvey). For a vision of splendor, look at the *flowers* in the *greenhouse*, especially the roses with their *needle*-like thorns. (Used in 中華料理)
diamond
菱 圥 and walking legs = *Toad*, a mushroom with walking legs. *Toad* tries so hard to earn the princess' affections by giving her *flowers* and *diamonds* all the time, but he can't compete with that guy who rescues her all the time.
renowned
著 Chucky receiving a gift of flowers to his head to celebrate him being a renowned killer.
interment
葬 I imagine an interment as a funeral. At this funeral it's an open casket, and the dead body (death) is holding flowers with both of its hands.
dissolve
融 I have created the element "old camera" out of the left side of the kanji: from the subject's point of view, the light is captured by *one* *mouth* (the lens). The photographer is under a big *hood*, we only see his *legs*, and he is holding a *spike* in his right hand, which is the shutter release. Now, at the time the photographer takes the photo, a little *insect* is flying near the flash. The flash is so powerful that the insect is burnt and dissolves in the air.
blood
血 Excuse me waiter, there's a drop of blood on my dish.
masses
衆 Masses of zombies, splattered with blood. (any zombie movie)
art
術 Put a load of hobos in the boulevard=art
boulevard
街 The boulevard of boulevards, the *Champs Elysées*, with the Arc de Triomphe covered in *ivy* to give the champions a heroes' welcome.
defense
衛 Chris Eubank protects his boulevard.
collide
衝 Two *heavy trucks* in a game of chicken #collide# while racing toward each other on the *boulevard*.
equilibrium / balance
衡 I think BALANCE is an easier keyword. I was walking down a busy French *boulevard* when between the rushing traffic I saw the wierdest thing. BALANCING on the central crash barrier was a *St. Bernard dog*, BALANCING a *fish* on its nose. As I looked closer, I realised it was a trick; it was holding the fish's tail in its teeth, and only pretending to BALANCE it. (keeps the position of the elements!)
surface
表 When *peter pan* flies over the ocean, his *scarf* touches the *surface*
decline
衰 If you thought that the dude in 哀 was pathetic, you haven't seen him after his decline. Here he is carrying a stick around in his mouth like a dog, begging people to throw it for him. Note that the mouth is closed only after the stick goes in, as is only logical.
inmost
衷 The guy from {哀} shared his inmost feelings with a girl and tried to give her a chuu and she rammed a *walking stick* down his throat. It ruptured his inmost organs.
sack
袋 A sack is an easy substitute for a garment.
sleeve
袖 The bad magician says, "As you can see, there's nothing up my sleeves!" Then he trips over his *cloak* and brussel *sprouts* fall everywhere.
incur
被 If you wear a coat of fur (pelt) you are sure to incur the wrath of animal rights extremists
tailor
裁 The tailor was hard at work making sure all the pilgrims were dressed in their best *garments* for *thanksgiving*.
split
裂 They tried issuing the *skeleton warriors* with proper *garments* to wear, but they kept getting split by the sharp bones or by their *sabres*. In the end, it was decided they look scarier naked anyway.
attire
装 Ninja Turtle Sweatshirt
back
裏 Computer with a top hat and scarf pretending to be Terminator "I'll Be Back"
abundant
裕 Again using the fact that cleavage in Japanese is called "*valley* of the chest": a woman with abundant cleavage tightly wraps up her bosom in a form-fitting *cloak*, but leaving her *valley* exposed. Another unforgettable image (thank you, thank you, I'll be here all week).
supplement
補 The name and number printed on a soldier's *cloak* is a supplement to his main I.D. tag; his *dog-tag*, in helping identify the soldier
skirt
裳 Compared to pants, a SKIRT is the GARMENT to be wearing when you want to use one of those Japanese toilets. It makes it so much easier: you just walk in the OUTHOUSE hike it up, and do your business.
naked
裸 Here we have Adam and Eve eating of the forbidden fruit and realizing they were naked, and so clothing themselves in a cloak.
made in...
製 made in china - a system of exploitation . making garments for nothing.
duplicate
複 My girlfiend saw someone wearing the exact same (duplicate) outfit at a party, so she doubled back to change!
brown
褐 Mexicans use a *cloak* (pancho) for their *siestas*. Their color is usually brown.
praise
褒 *Mr. T* is praised for his *protecting* of the trees by being given a *top hat and scarf* which he wears over his mohawk and chains, respectively.
collar
襟 A collar is the part of your *cloak* that, if tightened too tight, will *prohibit* breathing.
attack
襲 Feed meat to the dragon, which lives in a vase. It likes to eat three snakes, but it's dangerous, so you use a slingshot to feed it. [[[It keeps attacking you, so wear a garment.
west
西 Cowboy. Old West. West World. Fievel. Buffard Tannen.
need
要 in the *Old West*, *women* were needed because nobody knew how to cook or clean
capsize
覆 The U.S.S. Old West has capsized, and all the cowboys on board are trying to restore her upright.
hegemony
覇 Leather + flesh = scalping. It's commonly believed that the Indians invented scalping but in fact it was the American colonists that created the practice of cutting off a dead Indian's hair + skin as proof of the kill. In response the Indians started doing the same to them, but history is written by the winners so most people blame the Indians for this barbaric practice. (true story) In the Old West, colonists exercised their hegemony by scalping the Indians.
standard
規 Unfortunately, Homer Simpson is the standard model of a husband in American society. (Placement: You have to *look* in the RIGHT places to find one that doesn't fit that mold.)
inspection
視 The beaurocracy in Japan is such that even altars need to be inspection approved. A little man with glasses comes once a year to give the *altar* a "visual once over" as he calls it (perhaps checking for unauthorised symbology?)
perusal
覧 Look at all these slaves reclining on the floor. Which one would you like? Goran kudasai.
parent
親 I remember this one the way the Japanese do: a parent *standing* on top of a *tree* *watching* what his or her kid is doing.
outlook
観 This kanji actually means #view#. While on a pegasus you will see a great #view/outlook#.
angle
角 Bound up a load of screwdrivers at wacky angles to make a deadly boomerang.
unravel
解 Did you know that you can unravel a cow? If you stick the dagger in at exactly the correct angle, the whole cow will just unravel.
contact
触 Kurt Angle trying to contact an insect...Insects have to have their antennae at just the right angle to be able to contact each other. Imagine a bit like TV aerials.
consign
託 ENGLISH DEF.: give over to another for care or safekeeping; "consign your baggage" /// When you consign a matter to someone, you get their word and a lock of their hair (to be used in a voodoo ritual if they don't keep their word).
scribe
記 A scribe writes down the *words* spoken by a *snake* (i.e. a lawyer).
sue
訟 George Michael wanted to sue the newspapers for all those *words* about him and *public toilets*. Unfortunately, it was all true...
call on
訪 Japanese streets usually don't have names, so finding places can be difficult. So if you plan to call on someone you need two things; 1) *words* (for asking the way) and 2) a *compass* (in case you get really lost).
establishment
設 The Establishment can be attacked by words or by missiles. Writers will use words, whereas militars will use missiles.
permit
許 If horses could speak, you might have to ask their permission before mounting them.
translate
訳 You all know that `shakuhachi` is a slang word for blowj*b, right? In this kanji you got a job as a TRANSLATOR for Japanese porno movies. So you sit there all day translating dirty WORDS and watching girls perform SHAKUHACHI. This is the life!
accusation
訴 I strongly *reject* the accusation implicit in your *words*
checkup
診 I went for a check up as I'd been getting stomach aches. The doctor tells me-you have swallowed a cocktail umbrella and a bunch of playdoh!
lie
詐 Pinnochio gets frustrated that every time he utters a *word* of a lie, his nose grows and he has to get the *saw* out again.
evaluate
評 Practice my speech in front of water lillies to get their evaluation
parts of speech
詞 This kanji is the ending of lots of parts of speech like noun, verb, adverb: 名詞, 動詞, 動詞. People are messing around with #parts of speech# all the time now. *Company directors* are the worst, making up new *words* by verbing nouns and nouning verbs. "please action that", "what is the take-home from that?"
above-stated
該 ABOVE-STATED is a synonym with ACORNmentioned. I mean "aforementioned". Really easy to remember if you just think of ACORNmentioned.
detailed
詳 In the Wild Sheep Chase, Murakami gives a detailed history of sheep in Japan -- lots of words about sheep!
boast
誇 A dog owner boasts about how obedient, not how smart, his *Saint Bernard* dog is. "Why, my dog will even walk right into a trap if I tell him to. Watch!" With a single *word*, "go!", his dog obediently runs into a *snare* trap hanging from the *ceiling*. In a flash, the dog is netted tightly and swinging from the *ceiling*. Don't forget the *ceiling*!
reputation
誉 This *owl*'s reputation skyrocketed after he created a *tool* in order to speak human *words*.
document
誌 A will is an important document that contains your final *word* on how you *intend* to distribute your assets
acknowledge
認 i never read the "acknowledgements" section of books or theses, because they are mostly just boring *words* that i must *endure* reading, before i can get to the interesting part. :)
vow
誓 This Japanese couple wrote the vows that they had made to each other onto a piece of paper and then *folded it into an origami*, and put it somewhere in their appartment. To everybody else it is an *origami*, but to them it is also a symbol of their vows. -- "the *folded words* are vows". Note : in this story and a few others I use the image of an *origami* for the primitive "*fold*".
entice
誘 *Word* and *Excel* somehow manage to entice people to use them, despite their plethora of bugs.
mistake
誤 It is a rookie #mistake# to believe the *words* when your sweetie says "You don't have to *give* me anything for my birthday." Trust me, your sweetie wants something, something shiny, and if you disappoint, you will suffer.
explanation
説 The Devil's words
chapter
課 The first chapter of the Bible are *words* telling the story of *Adam and Eve* and how they ate the forbidden *fruit*
solicit
請 Heisenberg uses words to solicit help
argument
論 For *scrapbook* I used the image of a Panini sticker album, and thus the *meeting of scrapbooks* becomes a "Panini sticker album convention" (like a comics-con, only with collectors of Panini sticker albums). Pretty much all the *words* you can hear at the *scrapbook meeting* are arguments between geeks about which album is better.
conspire
謀 i imagine a clique of catty girls #conspiring# against a another girl...they are exchanging lots of *words*, chatting about how *so-and-so* girl is now up to such-and-such (gasp!), and how they will spread the word about it.
audience
謁 Note: The keyword meaning is "Have an audience with . . . (Pope, King, etc)". Story: When you arrive for your audience with the Pope, he appears to be dozing. His assistant says, "Sorry about your audience, but you won't get a *word* out of him while he's having his *siesta*".
facsimilie
謄 sending a facsimile to the *moon* costs a *quarter* per *word*
self-effacing
謙 The WORDS of CASANOVA lure you in because they are so self-effacing and humble.
lecture
講 Image: a professor walking around with a *funnel* and simply pouring his *words* into each students head instead of a #lecture#. (Primitive: *FUNNEL*, who got the *celery* stuck in the funnel *again*?! You know it's not supposed to be used for that!)
apologize
謝 The famous *speech* by the man that Dick Cheney *shot* in the face: "I'm sorry for the trouble I have caused the Vice President"
Noh chanting
謡 #Noh chanting#?!? I meant "NO CHANTING!" Now all you, just shut up! Not another *word*! Don't you know that chanting can provoke attacks from the local *condor*? So, no chanting, and especially no #Noh chanting#.
discreet
謹 HOW TO REMEMBER CABBAGE: it's the flower that is shoved in your mouth while you are growing up (parents force feed you cabbage), note how the "grow up" primitive is pushed into the mouth primitive overlapping. "Muttering words of gratitude for a wonderful meal, I discreetly slipped my cabbage under the table for the dog."
discriminating
識 I wonder why Heisig didn't use #discernment# for this kanji. It fits the meaning equally and it is not as loaded as #discrimination#. // It is quite hard to #discern# *words* in the middle of a *noisy fiesta*.
musical score
譜 Musical scores are in a universal language.
deliberation
議 WARNING: This does NOT mean deliberation as in \tcareful consideration before decision. It is the other definition of deliberation: formal consultation or discussion, as in 議会, the Diet. In the deliberations of the diet, only *Righteous words* are allowed. If you don't speak in *righteous words*, they kick you out of the discussion
defer
譲 OddAndersen is correct. 譲る 【ゆずる】 (v5r,vt) to turn over; to assign; to hand over; to transmit; to convey; to sell; to dispose of; to yield; to surrender; (P) 譲渡 【じょうと】 (n,vs) transfer; assignment; conveyance; (P) STORY: I heard of Japanese Boss who SUBMITTED a new notice saying all the female employees must wear GRASS SKIRTS to work. Naturally, the female employees YIELDED to the man's wishes, unable to say a single WORD.
safeguard
護 Think of the *flower-vessels* as a the Greenpeace vessel "Arctic Sunrise", only instead of a rainbow there is a big *flower* painted on the hull (this will come back in {701} and {908}). Think of "flower-power" and of the "peace" in "Greenpeace" and it will make some sense hopefully. -- In this kanji, we see an inauguration *speech* being given before the Greenpeace vessel is set afloat and sent to safeguard our planet.
valley
谷 Think of the classic anime 風の#谷#のナウシカ (Nausicaa of the *Valley* of the Wind). We see Nausicaa *entering* the *valley* *mouth* gliding on an *umbrella*.
beans
豆 I hate using primitives that are completely unrelated. Let's call this one Mr. Bean! He's an easy character to build stories with.
bountiful
豊 The bountiful feast was so bountiful that it *bent* the *table* below it under its weight! いただきま〜す！Bender standing on Mr Bean
pork
豚 Pork comes from the flesh of a sow
elephant
象 Crap zoo advertises its rare elephants. Look closely and you realize-it's just a sow with rabbit ears stuck on.
overpowering
豪 In Orwell's 'Animal Farm' the pigs #overpowered# every other animal. They *crownded* themselves as ruler of the farm and walked *tall* on their rear legs, a crime strictly forbidden in the animal republic.
property
財 The keyword refers to property in the sense of money or funds rather than of buildings or real estate. Keep this one distinct from frame 193 ("wealth") and frame 473 ("assets"). Here we have a genie, gulping down oysters. Someone tries to grab an oyster and the genie puts his big arms around his oysters and states his "right of ownership" : "They're mines, my property!". Money genius!
poverty
貧 In the case of true poverty, not having money is only part of the problem. There are other components as well, like lack of education, class structuring, etc., but that doesn't really matter. Just remember that the money is only part of it, not the whole.
freight / currency
貨 *Bureau de Change* This is also commonly used to mean currency, which is easier to remember given the kanji I think. When you travel abroad you change your clams into the local currency. Easy breezy.
marketing
販 The goal of marketing is to get people who are naturally anti-buying to spend their shells (money).
blame
責 *Peter Pan* #blames# *money* as the reason adults act so stupid.
precious
貴 frodo kept the precious in the purse but did a switch with some worthless shells when he went to sleep. Heres gollum opening the purse "ahhh my preciousssssss.....why you m****** ******!!!!!.
buy
買 When something catches my eye, I take out a few clams and buy before anybody else does.
lend
貸 I always ask for some kind of a *substitute* when I lend *money* - e.g. an I.O.U note or something of the sort.
expense
費 An expense is an expense, whether you put it in *dollars* or in local *money*.
trade
貿 The new RANSOM note (a receipt stuck to a door with a dagger) from DETAIN (1423) appears again (probably after you went to the field as instructed) now gives instruction to TRADE the victim for CURRENCY you were told to bring.
congratulations
賀 When someone at work gets married, you pass around an envelope to which you *add* some *money* and a card which you sign with your congratulations
fare
賃 It's your own *responsibility* to pay the bus fare with the correct number of *shells/money*.
assets
資 The first SHELLS you get you obviously spend, but the NEXT SHELLS are your ASSETS, you should bury them in a low safe place (placement!) Shigen 資源 resources
V.I.P.
賓 This *house* is reserved to V.I.P. only. If you are not *one of the few* with enough *money* to call you that way, keep out!
approve
賛 Out of two potential *husbands*, which would mom and dad approve of? Well, the one with *shells* (money) of course!!! (big thanks to zazen here but I keep getting this one confused with {1074} later.. So I figure mom and dad would be the ones whose approval we'd like)
grant
賜 A grant is *easy money*.
prize
賞 You won first PRIZE in a *shell-fish* eating contest. Unfortunately you spent the whole night in the *outhouse* after.
compensation
賠 compensation is a kind of euphemism for hush money here. Money that *muzzles*
intelligent
賢 An intelligent man is neither slave to his crotch nor to money. But an intelligent slave will know how to use his/her crotch to make money.
substance
質 Another keyword that I do not like by Heisig. 質【しつ】 (n,n-suf) quality. Story: Your at a local ax dealer and you have TWO AXES which you are testing for QUALITY by trying to split CLAMS right down the opening. Picture yourself succeeding with one AX and then some weird SUBSTANCE comes out of the shell...eww (I don't like clams)
gamble
賭 Chucky gambling with his toy money
subscription
購 You put your *shells* into a *funnel* at the newsagent to buy your subscription to Better Kanji Writing magazine. It spins around the funnel many times before finally falling down the hole.
presents
贈 SEA SHELLS were FORMALLY great PRESENTS. Nowadays kids wants playstation and DS! Best present is self-replicating money.
red
赤 The *soil* was red after the hunter used his *dagger* to cut off the *animal's legs*.
pardon
赦 Red from Shawshank begs for a pardon from the taskmaster.
rouse
起 Nothing will rouse you quite as much as finding a snake in your bed. You will run away like you've never run before! Wakey wakey, run from snakey!
gist
趣 *Run* as hard as you can and *take* it all in. That's the gist of life. 趣味(しゅみ) - hobby; pastime
leg
足 Tip : best avoid the generic image of a human leg, and use that of a *wooden leg*. As a primitive, the image of a pirate can easily stand for the *wooden leg*. As for this kanji, I think James Heisig provided a story, which worked well enough for me.
long-distance
距 You can step a long-distance if you have gigantic wooden legs (stilts)
tracks
跡 Pirate pokes the tip of his *wooden leg* into an *apple* to disguise his tracks.
path
路 When pirates try to hide, it's always easy to find them. Their *wooden legs* leave distinctive prints, showing where *each* is hiding and the exact path he took.
hop
跳 A turtle with a wooden leg needs to hop to get around.
tread
践 The pirate with the *wooden leg* chased after the *parade float* and was run over by the next one, leaving tread marks all over him and his leg.
jump
踊 The high #jump#er has his *wooden leg* fitted with a *pogo stick*, and can now jump even higher. (See my note at {通} for *pogo stick*). EDIT (2 years later): Keyword "jump" leads to confusion later on (see cjon256's post), #"Dancing"# would be better (but be sure to keep it distinct from {舞}). New Story: I was no good at #dancing# due to my *wooden leg*... until I had it fitted with a *pogo stick*!
step
踏 The peg leg pirate, wanting to get fit, signs up for some step aerobic classes. Here is is clutching his bottle of water and stepping up and down from his step platform in the island sunshine.
leap
躍 [Story for people following katsuo in making feathers+turkey a 'futon' primitive] If you're going to #leap# from a high place, better hope there's a *futon* below -- otherwise you're going to break your *leg* at the very least...
somebody
身 Somebody was just looking for you. He had a long*nose* that reaches down below his mouth, and a long jaw that sticks out past his nose, and a scar across his face. (greenapple,16-3-2006) The way to remember that this is some*body* rather than {者} is that the story is full of *body* descriptions.
flats
軒 #Flats# in Tokyo don't have outside space for a *car* or a *clothesline* to *dry* your clothes. (dingomick)
soft
軟 If your *car* has really soft seats, you may start *yawning* and eventually fall asleep at the wheel (imagine that this seat is a huge soft beanbag that nearly swallows the driver, and it will be easier to remember).
revolve
転 In Back to the Future, Doc Brown puts the brakes on the DeLorean by remote control. He revs the gas, and the back wheels of the CAR begin to revolve. RISING CLOUDS of smoke from the burnt rubber are released from the revolving tires. 88 miles per hour!
axis
軸 An absurd image, but what the heck - worked for me. Imagine a *car* going across a plain at a fast speed. Suddenly a single *sprout* (the only one to be seen) gets stuck to the car's wheels, causing the car to fly around its axis.
lightly
軽 Suggestion: Replace "spool" with "toilet paper/roll". Reason: See my note at {715}. Story: You are fussy about your *car* and to clean it you will only dab it very lightly with *toilet paper*. Spool also appears in {715}, {716}, {882}, {1360}
contrast
較 When *cars* from Japan and America *mingle* at a party, there is quite a contrast between the huge Hummers and little Hondas.
comrade
輩 Some man *jailed* in Russia, is freed by his comrade (from the Communist party perhaps), who crashes into the *jail cell* with a *vehicle*.
wheel
輪 During the panini sticker book convention, someone stole all the attendees wheels.
control
轄 Hold the #Ctrl# key when playing GTA on your laptop, and your *car* will plough through crowds of people, causing plenty of grievous bodily *harm*. No *harm* will come to you however - it's just a game!
spicy
辛 this caracter has 2 meaning : Spicy -> see book (からい）and heart-breaking painful （つらい）=> stand up on barefooted on needles is painful.
resign
辞 The guy who writes definitions for adjectives in the dictionary has to experience all the adjectives he describes. Finally, when he gets to spicy he has to resign. The guy goes to his boss to resign from the Indian Food Factory (see Fuaburisu's story) all he can say is "Tongue....Spicy". This helps me remember the stroke order. 辞める\t【やめる】\t\t(v1) to retire, (P) 辞意\t【じい】\t\t(n) intention to resign, (P) お辞儀\t【おじぎ】\t\t(n,vs) bow, (P)
sign of the dragon
辰 #Bruce Lee# is such a badass he climbed a sheer vertical *cliff* using only *2 hairpins*.
embarrass
辱 During the shooting of one of his first movies in China, *Bruce Lee* fell through the cheaply built movie set, and into a barrel of *glue*. As you can imagine, to put *Bruce Lee* in that position must have caused great embarass to the chinese producer. Note the hints in the story for the position of the primitives.
agriculture
農 *Bruce Lee* is spinning *Bender* above his head while *Bender*'s arms and legs perform all sorts of #agricultural# tasks like watering, sowing, etc. What a perfect team for agriculture!
crowded
込 During a traffic jam it is impossible to get your car to *enter* the *roadway* as it is crowded with cars. Think of a grid lock so bad cars are litterally scraping up against each other like people on a Japanese train during rush hour.
swift
迅 How SWIFTwas I going on that *road*? Let's just say I was going *backwards square root* of *ten* = 10 squared = 100 MPH. Zooooom!
welcome
迎 Buy a box if stamps to decorate the road and spell out the word Welcome.
near
近 And now the end is near, the *axe*-murderer is on the *highway*
return
返 "#Return# our land! #Return# our land!" cries the protestors of the *Anti-**Road* group.
alternate
迭 When you get lost, you just take an alternate road to get back on track.
mention
述 (Primitive: Hobo (neither ホ nor ボ))"There is a *hobo* on the *road*!" "Ah, I'm glad u mentioned it."
astray
迷 Hansel and Grettel follow their rice back home, but they find it's been all messed up on the road. Hansel and Grettel are astray because the rice is all over the road. The rice is on the road.
chase
追 Bond in a car chase on the road
retreat
退 you see a huge army of people in silver armour on the road so you retreat
send off
送 The problem with the "gold calf" primitive is that the first vertical stroke of "heavenly" is shorter than the second stroke. But as we know, "heavenly" clearly has the FIRST stroke longer, not the second. The primitives we really have here are "animal horns (first 3 strokes)" and "big/dog (last 3 strokes)." What are the BIGGEST ANIMAL HORNS that you can think of? For me its a MASTODON. STORY: In caveman times, you SENT OFF packages with the MASTODON express.
inverted
逆 There's a road that's been inverted- it's gone from horizontal to directly vertical! The only beast that could possibly climb it is a mountain goat of course.
transparent
透 If you *excel* in the *Mario Kart road*, your movements are saved and you can race against yourself as a *transparent* racer. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe8CkcrL-k4
pursue
逐 In association with {540}, our *sow* is on the road #pursuing# a mate.
parcel post
逓 (I prefer *2 towels* over cornstalk and belt) - Have you ever wondered why your parcels always end up in such bad condition when you get them? Or why you never get them at all? That's because you've never looked at how they're actually delivered - each postman is given a load of parcel post and *2 towels* to *drag* them down the *road* on.
route
途 Truck drivers in the US have to drive the truck onto some massive scales at state borders, for tax reasons. They have to plan their route accordingly; there aren't scales on every road.
traffic
通 Ma bounces down the *road* on my *pogo stick*, easily getting through the dense traffic. (Note: New primitive: chop-seal + utilize = pogo stick. Because a *chop-seal* is long and thin with a rubbery bit at the end. If it were big enough, you could *utilize* it as a *pogo stick*). [Edit: *pogo stick* also appears in 1409, 1690, 2530]
departed
逝 On the roadside when people die in accidents, people leave origami instead of flowers to honor the departed
quick
速 Everyone thought Bungle would be slow as f*ck in the road race, but Jesus f*ck he's quick!
create
造 Like Jack Kerouac, you create by having revelations on the road.
apprehend
逮 Think police roadblocks. They act like road sieves, letting good people through but apprehending criminals
thunder
雷 I've been told by Japanese people that this word, 雷（かみなり） means BOTH thunder and lightning together. Though there is no individual word for thunder, there is for lightning (いなずま）, so I understand where Heisig is coming from. Just remember a powerful storm over an empty field and you're sure to remember this kanji.
electricity
電 Think of a two natural sources of electricity: electrical storms (a form of *weather*) and electrical *eel*s. 電話 でんわ phone, call; 電気 (でんき) : electricity, (electric) light.
demand
需 Supply and demand is a simple concept: when it *rains*, the demand for *combs* goes up to deal with wet hair.
quake
震 When it rains, Bruce Lee gets pissed off and hits the floor causing a quake.
spirits
霊 After *raining* for *two* days in a *row*, and you're stuck on a rowboat, you plead with the #SPIRITS# for some relief.
fog
霧 *Rain*'s *task* is to get rid of the #fog#.
dew
露 after the *rain* the *path* was covered with dew
blue
青 Peter Pan sitting on a blue moon
quiet
静 Don't confuse with {黙}, something achieved through action. On the other hand, quiet refers to a personal quality of not speaking out. Members of *Blue*-man group jump into the wrestling ring of *contend*ers for tag-team wrestling. Though the other contenders are screaming, the *blue* men never say anything - they are a very quiet bunch, that Blue-man group. Primitive order: blue man group's first and main characteristic is being blue and quiet; only later did they decide to become wrestling contenders.
un-
非 This looks like a pictogram of 3 fingers from each hand trying to open up a crack in a wall. That's an un-believable way to escape from prison OR the UN- have a prison in the Hague
mask
面 When Jim Carrey puts on #The Mask#, he can make it seem like he has *100 eyes* popping out of his head.
leather
革 (thanks jesslawnz) I asked the street vendor the price of the LEATHER jacket. He said TWENTY, my MOUTH dropped, and he immediately came down to TEN. (correct stroke order).
shoes
靴 *Leather* shoes are nice because they *change* shape to fit your foot.
Korea
韓 Chris Eubank takes elocution lessons in Korea. "Mift...Missshht....Mifffst"
sound
音 If you were to STAND on the SUN, believe me, you'd make "ouch" sounds, too. おと・防音 ぼうおん sound-insulation (thanks Aploosh)
rhyme
韻 BUSTA RHYMES. At the rhyme fac-to-ry, I'm a SOUND EM-PLOY-EE 韻字 いんじ rhyming words (thanks lugelen)
echo
響 When you go back to your hometown you call out your secret sounds. You know your friends are there because you will hear the sound echo-ed back
ought
須 Why, I OUGHT to RESHAPE your HEAD...
deposit
預 預血 means to deposit blood in a blood bank. Imagine bringing a severed *head* to the blood bank for a blood deposit. Of course, you are wearing *gloves* when handling the bloody *head*.
partition
頒 Remember {135} 願. Its not petition, its PARTition. Stuck in your *head* yet?
jurisdiction
領 President Bush
head
頭 *Mr. Bean* has a funny #*head*#.
trust
頼 It's hard to trust someone who wears a Bungle head.
face
顔 The *lad* jumps off the cliff, breaks his *head*, and smashes his face.
appear
顕 A row of suns and a head
sort / variety
類 Note this character means sort in the sense of what kind, I believe a better keyword would be "variety" and this character does appear in some dictionaries with the primary meaning as variety, my story: I'm in a Chinese restaurant and the waiter says "What sort of *rice* would you like with your *dog head*?"
look back
顧 Frequently misheard lyric by the band Oasis: "Don't look back in anger, *employ* your *head*..."
wind
風 The WIND usually carries things around in it - *drops* of rain or snow, and lots of *insects*.
eat
食 Umbrella + Good: Let's go eat at that restaurant - the table with the *umbrella* looks *good*.
hungry
飢 The *wind* blew away my *Mc Donalds food*, so now I'm hungry.
meal
飯 McDonalds is the anti-meal
drink
飲 In McDonalds waiting for something to stink and yawning
domesticate
飼 "#DO MASTICATE# your *FOOD* when you *EAT*!" drones the *DIRECTOR* of the institute where they are trying to DOMESTICATE me. Fat chance. I say "to hell with the *DIRECTOR*!", and continue to wolf down my *FOOD*, as usual. I'm staying wild!
sated
飽 At a McDonalds restaurant, when you are sated with your *food* you can ask them to *wrap* it for you
decorate
飾 Lying on a towel on the beach eating McDonalds. Decorated with seashells
foster
養 Judy Foster in "The Silence of the *Lamb*s" is what Dr. Hannibal-the cannibal-Lecter would like to *eat*.
starve
餓 All those starving models in Hollywood - they want to *eat McDonalds*, but their *ego* (about their appearance and trim look) makes sure they grin and bear it!
Bldg.
館 The bureaucrat's building (The Diet) has a McDonalds in it
incense
香 If you focus the suns though a magnifying glass on to the bottom of a stalk of wheat it will start to smoulder and burn like a stick of incense. The weird thing is that it burns from the bottom upwards, hanging in the air as if my magic. Try it and see!
horse
馬 Turkey with the drops at the top removed and tail feathers added (this matches stroke order and there are the tail feathers already, why not have the whole bird). If you take the two drops of 隹 as wings, then horses are like turkeys, but have no wings and have more prominent tail "feathers". Both are actually supposed to be pictographs, though.
burdensome
駄 The Greek warriors inside the *Trojan Horse* are complaining about this burdensome *plump* warrior who is not helping at all (say, just eating candies and watching). - "You know you're such a burden!". Note : be sure to keep "plump" distinct from the primitive meaning of "round" ("fat man").
station
駅 Anyone living in Japan knows that train stations play little melodies when the train is about to arrive. In Ye Olden Days, when *horses* and carriages were used for transport, the carriage driver would play a little melody on his *shakuhachi* to let the passengers know the carriage was arriving at the next station.
drive
駆 In this new *Xbox* game you have to drive a *trojan horse* through the *wards* of Tokyo.
parking
駐 Parking in the dark may be difficult...specially if you're parking a *trojan horse*. To lend you a tiny bit of help, take this *candlestick* with you, and at least you'll have some light.
pony
駒 Following on from my story for Shogi (FRAME 1763), this character means #chess piece# or #shogi piece#. I suggest calling it #Knight (chess piece)#. To avoid confusion with 其, picture this as the winning piece: move your *knight/horse* into the winning position, and utter the *phrase*: checkmate.
equestrian
騎 If the equestrian team used *trojan horses*, it would be really *strange*.
boisterous
騒 The hidden Greeks inside the *Trojan Horse* are getting boisterous as one of them is bitten in the *crotch* by a nasty *insect*. If they don't shut up, the Trojans will hear them...
verification
験 We just #verification# that there are indeed no soldiers in the belly of this trojan *horse*. We're just gonna stab it in the belly with this *awl* to check.
inflation
騰 flesh+quarter=McDonald's *quarter pounder*. Due to inflation, McDonald's has had to start making quarter pounders out of *horse meat*.
wonder
驚 This is another word for surprise. 驚く＝おどろく= surprise. The Trojans stood in *awe* of the magnificent Trojan Horse that they thought was a gift. But imagine their #surprise (wonder)# when a bunch of Greeks came rushing out of it! (To further cement the connection between the primitives, if needed: It's a wonder that the Trojans managed to speak *keigo* 敬語 even then, saying "わたくしたちを殺さないでください!!お願い致します!!")
skeleton
骨 Your body *meat* is attached to the *bone joints* of your skeleton.
marrow
髄 A skeleton is trying to hitchhike. He holds a sign on the road. "Possess marrow. Will travel." What does that even mean? It seems to get curious drivers to stop anyways.
hair of the head
髪 When Rachel from *Friends* *hair* got popular, even *Mystique* changed her hair of the head to that style. Didn't need to cut it of course....
ghost
鬼 A #ghost#, or #oni#, wandering slowly on its *human legs*, searching for *brains* to eat. What looks like an *elbow* here is actually a pictoral representation of the *forked tail* protruding out of its rear.
soul
魂 When you die, your SOUL either goes to the RISING CLOUDS (heaven) or to the ONI (hell, the devil)
fascination
魅 *Ghosts* have *not yet* left the world, they must still have a deep fascination with their past life on Earth. Here is a ghost has a fascination with its little sister.
witch
魔 Drug dealing witch sells weed to onis
fresh
鮮 This one's easy to remember. The kanji gives 2 examples of foods that should be purchased fresh. To remember which foods, take the first letter of fresh, "F", to stand for fish and the final sound of fresh, "SH", to stand for sheep: FreSH. It even puts the primitives in the right order.
bird
鳥 Just remember
pigeon
鳩 Pigeons are the birds that come in hordes after baseball games to eat all the trash left by fans.
chirp
鳴 This kanji is not limited to the chirp of a *bird*, but stands for the sound of any kind of animal. Picture a very weird bird that can imitate with its *mouth* (a bird with mouth, heh) the voice of many different animals: Meeow! Woof! Mooo! Cuack!!! (Maybe the bird has Kirby powers and obtains the abilities of the animals it eats)
chicken
鶏 After being carried away by the vulture, Homer Simpson is dropped off to meet his new ruler, a giant chicken.,.
crane
鶴 Do you know how cranes came to be? Well, they used to keep the poor *bird* *cooped* all the time. But the crane really wanted to be free, so it would always streatch its head and neck out of the *coop* trying to be free.
deer
鹿 *Bambi* wanders into a *cave* and sees a *side order of salad* and *2 spoons*...but what's the main course?
lovely
麗 Lovely bambi.... Pictograph : just take a look at those innocent open eyes (part 1 it's not more far fetched than seeing mediocre in it) with thin eyebrows what a lovely deer ...(part 2)
barley
麦 Peter Pans walking legs are made of barley hence he can fly
hemp
麻 Drug lords are growing their *groves* of hemp in *caves* now so that they cannot be spotted by satellites.
yellow
黄 There is a yellow sprout with little legs in your salad.
