The Japanese Radical: 口


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Meaning
mouth    口

Explanation A small square 口 stands for the mouth, and a big square 囗 is an enclosure.

Used in these characters:
JLPT 5Joyo 1
right hand side
migi, U, YŪ
Left: hand ナ/ヨ (Shows a hand ナ with the forearm at the right and three fingers to the left.), right: mouth 口
The hand for the mouth (= you eat with) is the: right.  
JLPT 5Joyo 1
mouth, opening
kuchi, KŌ, KU

A mouth wide open.  
JLPT 3Joyo 1
stone, rock
ishi, SEKI, SHAKU
Top: var. of cliff 厂, bottom: stone 口
Below the cliff are stones.  
JLPT 5Joyo 1
leg, foot, sufficient
ashi, tariru, SOKU
Top: kneecap 口, bottom: to stop 止 (= Footprint of the right foot rotated 90° to the left.)
Between kneecap and foot is the leg, that's sufficient.  
JLPT 5Joyo 1
middle, inside
naka, CHŪ

The vertical line 丨 in the middle of the square 口 shows the middle.  
JLPT 5Joyo 1
name, fame
na, MEI, MYŌ
Evening 夕 (If the moon 月 is not yet complete [a stroke is missing], it is only evening 夕.) and mouth 口
In the evening, you talk about people with name and fame.  
JLPT 4Joyo 2
rotate, turn, revolve
mawaru, KAI

Two coaxial rotations  
JLPT 5Joyo 2
old
furui, KO
Ten 十 and mouth 口 (古 was derived from the image of a skull). See this as the image of a grave mound with a cross.
Under the tomb mound/stone lies the "old".  
JLPT 5Joyo 2
talk, tell, speak
kataru, GO
Left: word, speech 言 (sound waves out of a mouth 口), right: I, me 吾 (five 五 and mouth 口)
Words out of five mouths mean to speak.  
JLPT 4Joyo 2
fit, meet, join
au, awaseru, GŌ, KATSU
Top: a cover , below: a container 口
The cover/lid on the container fits.  
JLPT 4Joyo 2
platform, rack, stand
DAI, TAI
Top: nose ム (in side view), bottom: mouth 口
The nose over the mouth is like a platform.  
JLPT 4Joyo 2
to know, knowledge
shiru, CHI
Left: an arrow 矢 (An arrow ノ flies in the sky 天), right: a mouth 口 (here: a target)
The arrow hits the target, if it knows it.  
JLPT 4Joyo 2
same
onaji,
A container upside down: 冂, one 一 and an opening 口
All containers only have one opening, and that is the same.  
JLPT 3Joyo 2
non-human cry
naku, MEI
Left: mouth 口, right: a bird 鳥 (Image of a bird with head 白, wrings 一, tail feather フ and talons 灬)
Out of the mouth of the bird comes an animal's cry.  
JLPT 4Joyo 3
member
IN
Top: mouth 口, below: shell/money 貝 (Image of a cone-shell 目 with two feelers/antennas 八)
(In a singing club) If you have a mouth and money you can become a member.  
JLPT 3Joyo 3
you, Mr., lord
kimi, KUN
Top: A hand ナ/ヨ holding a stick ノ, bottom: mouth 口
The one with the stick in the hand striking on your mouth, is your master/lord.  
JLPT 4Joyo 2
elder brother
ani, KEI, KYŌ
A mouth 口 and legs 儿
A big mouth on legs: That's my elder brother.  
JLPT 3Joyo 3
opposite side, yonder, turn one's head, situation
muku, mukeru,
A house 冂 with a window 口
In this house, the window is on the opposite side, you just have to turn around.  
JLPT 3Joyo 3
number, title, issue, suffix

Top: mouth 口, bottom: winding seaweed 丂 (here: the number "5")
When the mouth says "5" it is a number.  
JLPT 3Joyo 3
trade, business, sell
akinau, SHŌ
Var. of emperor 帝 with long coat 冂 and mouth 口. Better to consider a vendor behind a sales desk 冂 with some goods 口 (cf. to sell 売)
A vendor at the sales desk with goods 口 means: trade.  
JLPT 4Joyo 3
goods, item, refinement
shina, HIN

Three boxes with goods.  
JLPT 4Joyo 3
taste, flavor, relish
aji, ajiwau, MI
Left: mouth 口, right: unripe, not yet 未 (The upper branch of the tree 木 is still shorter = immature.)
In the mouth sth. unripe can be tasted. [In contrast: In the mouth 口 old 古 things taste: hard 固]  
JLPT 3Joyo 3
life, order, command, fate
inochi, MEI, MYŌ
Lower left: mouth 口, rest: order, command 令 (To put a lid on the bent person卩, has been ordered!)
The mouth gives order to live.  
JLPT 4Joyo 3
ask
tou, MON
Outside: Gate 門, inner: mouth 口
The mouth at the gate is asking.  
JLPT 3Joyo 3
harmony, peace, Japan
yawaragu, nagoyaka, WA, O
Left: rice plant 禾, right: mouth 口
Who has rice in his mouth is in harmony.  
JLPT 3Joyo 4
add, append, join
kuwaeru, KA
Left: power 力, right: mouth 口
(It is meant, to eat sth.) For getting power 力 your mouth 口 needs sth. to be 'added'.  
JLPT 3Joyo 4
each, every
ono, KAKU
Top: upturned foot or sitting with crossed legs 夂, mouth 口 (here better: futon/cushion)
Sitting cross-legged on a cushion does everybody.  
JLPT 3Joyo 4
happy, joy, delight
yorokobu, KI
From top: samurai 士, beans 豆, mouth 口. (This kanji 喜 has also been simplified to: 吉)
(An army marches on its stomach!) A samurai with beans in his mouth is happy.  
JLPT 3Joyo 4
container, vessel, pot, skill
utsuwa, KI
Four mouths 口, big 大
For four mouths you need a big pot / container.  
JLPT 3Joyo 4
announce, proclaim, tell, inform, confess
tsugeru, KOKU
Top: cow 牛 bottom: mouth 口
The cow opens the mouth to announce sth.  
JLPT 3Joyo 4
history
SHI
Mouth 口 and a person 人 with a wide step
With the mouth, the person who has taken wide steps, tells his: history.  
JLPT 3Joyo 4
administer, govern, rule
tsukasadoru, SHI

In a corner ⌝ is sb. who throws a sheet 一 of paper in the wastebasket 口: In the administration.  
JLPT 3Joyo 4
sing, recite, intone, preach
tonaeru, SHŌ
Left: mouth 口, right: two suns 日
Open the mouth widely as big as two suns, when: singing.  
JLPT 1Joyo 5
phrase, clause, rhythmic section in poem, paragraph
KU
Outside: wrap up/cover 勹, inside: mouth 口
She covered her mouth at such a phrase. Or: Sth. wrapped 勹 out the mouth 口.  
JLPT 2Joyo 6
goodness, virtuous, goodwill
yoi, ZEN
From top: sheep 羊, to stand 立, mouth 口
The sheep standing there with a gaping mouth has goodness and is virtuous.  
JLPT 2Joyo 5
approximately, extent, degree, limit
hodo, TEI
Left: rice plant 禾, right: present, to present 呈 (The mouth 口 of the king 王 gives presents.)
Rice plants for the mouth of the king is the approximate extent.  
JLPT 2Joyo 5
possible, approve, accept
-beki/shi/ku, KA
Outside: city block 丁 (but here: a nail), below: opening 口
The nail 丁 into this opening 口 should be possible.  
JLPT 2Joyo 6
suck, breathe in, inhale
suu, KYŪ
Left: mouth 口, right: reach, extend 及 (Here: cigarette ノ and variation of hand
A mouth with a cigarette in a hand to suck/inhale.  
JLPT 2Joyo 6
call, attract, summon
yobu, KO
Left: mouth 口, right: 乎 (var. hand 手, hence 'open' hand)
A mouth and in front an open hand for better calling.  
JLPT 1Joyo 6
an empress, queen, behind
kisaki, KŌ, GO
Top: var. of buttock seen from the side 尸, below: opening 口 as anus, in the sense of 'behind' (Originates in the custom that the empress followed behind the emperor.)
The one following 'behind' is the empress.  
JLPT 2Joyo 6
deny, no
ina, inamu, HI
Top: not 不 (Four lines are not enough.), below: mouth 口
A "no" from a mouth is a denial.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
sorrow, sad, distress, grief
aware/remu, AI
Top and bottom: clothes 衣, center: a big hole 口
Clothes with a hole causes sorrow. - (cf. 褒 - And if you protect 保 your clothes 衣, you will be praised 褒 [ほ-める])  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
kidnap, deceive, abduct
KAI
Left: hand 扌, right: mouth 口, sword 刀 (cf. invite 招)
I feel a hand on my mouth and a sword: I am being kidnapped!  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
menace, threaten, terrorize
odosu/kasu, KAKU
Left: mouth 口, right: 2 x red 赤 (When clay/earth 土 is burned in fire 灬, the pottery gets: red)
A mouth with a double red is menacing.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
shout loudly, scold, browbeat, hoarse
KATSU
Left: mouth 口, right: 曷 (var. of easy 易 (sun 日, rays勿 with a sitting person 匕 instead two rays)
(Is it too hot for them?) The mouths of those sitting in the sunshine are shouting loudly.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
yell, shout, cry
wameku, KAN
Left: mouth 口, right: (only as radical) birth 奐 (from top: head of a woman ⺈, upper part of her body 内 with emphasized breasts and spread legs 大)
The mouth at birth: yells and cries.  
JLPT 2Joyo 7
contain, include, hold
fukumu/meru, GAN
Top: now 今, bottom: mouth 口
What is now in the mouth is contained there.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
good luck, fortune, joy
KICHI, KITSU
Top: samurai 士, bottom: mouth 口 - (simplified from: luck 喜, where the samurai has beans 豆 in his mouth.)
A samurai with a (full) mouth has good luck.  
JLPT 2Joyo 7
consume, eat&drink, receive, ingest
KITSU
Left: mouth 口, right: pledge, promise 契 (tally stick , [pairwise marked sticks were distributed at the conclusion and joined again after implementation of an agreement] - Cut into a tally stick with a sword 刀 in big 大 letters: the pledge)
The mouth promises to eat and drink.  
JLPT 2Joyo 7
shout, yell, cry
sakebu, KYŌ
Left: mouth 口, right: twisted 丩 (pictograph: two intertwined threads).
The mouth is distorted when shouting.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
versify, recital, recite, singing
GIN
Left: mouth 口, right: now 今
The mouth will now start reciting.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
disclose, enlighten, illuminate, state
KEI
Top: door 戸, hit, strike (bang) 攵 (hand 又 with a stick ノ), below: opening 口
When the door opens with a bang into an opening, things get disclosed.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
to give, Wu-Chinese dynasty, do th. for sb. else
kureru, GO

Image of a person 口 in Wu dynasty contentedly leaning back in relaxing armchair (= the rest of this character), because he gave sth. to somebody.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
entice/attract, to tempt, allure, instigate, incite
sosonokasu, sosoru, SA
Left: mouth 口, right: 夋 (nose ム, legs 儿, upturned foot 夂)
Mouth, nose, legs and an upturned foot: Shall that be attracting?  
JLPT 2Joyo 7
bloom, blossom
saku,
Left: mouth 口, right: out of 丷, heaven/sky 天
Like a mouth out of heaven looks this blossom.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
inherit, succeed to
tsugu, SHI
Left: mouth 口, book/volume 冊 (bundle of bamboo writing tablets), right: administration/civil servant 司 (... where sb. is sitting in a corner⌝ throwing a sheet 一 of paper in the wastebasket 口)
He spoke, wrote it on the tablets and gave (his last will) to the civil servant for the inheritance.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
similar, like, compare, such as, equal
gotoku, JO, NYO
Left: woman 女, right: mouth 口
These women's mouths are that similar, that they are comparable.  
JLPT 2Joyo 7
summon, call someone (respectfully), to send for
mesu, SHŌ
Top: sword 刀, below: mouth 口
Use sword and mouth to summon / call together.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
entrust, confidence, request, ask
SHOKU
Left: mouth 口, right: species, genus 属 (The rear part 尸 belongs to an insect 禹/虫 with long legs 冂, but which species?)
To the mouth of this species, it can be entrusted.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
lip(s)
kuchibiru, SHIN
Top: plow 辰 (At the field corner 厂 a first line 一 is plowed by the farmer 农 [农 = Chinese for farmer]), below: mouth 口
Like plowed lines at the mouth: the lips.  
JLPT 2Joyo 7
blow, breathe out
fuku, SUI
Left: mouth 口, right: lack 欠 (The mouth wide open of the yawning ⺈ person 人 is lacking [i.e. manners])
If out of the mouth a "nothing" is coming, then it is "blowing".  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
mourn, loss, miss, death
mo,
From top: ten 十, two mouths 口, simple var. of clothes 衣
A cross 十, two coffins/caskets 口 and simple clothes are signs of mourning. (Or: It is also sorrow 哀 with two holes ロロ in the clothes 衣.)  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
lament, sigh, grieve, admire
nageku/kawashii, TAN
Left: mouth 口, right: var. of China 漢 (Water 氵and plants 艹 in the mouth 口 of the husband 夫 from China) [But water 氵is missing]
Mouths in a waterless China are lamenting.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
foolish, stupid, silly
CHI
Outside: illness 疒 (An ice-冫-cold building 广 makes sick.), inside: know 知 (The arrow 矢 hits the target 口, if it knows it.)
The disease in respect to "knowing" is to be stupid.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
offer, present, display, exhibit
TEI
Top: mouth 口, bottom: king 王
The mouth of the king offers presents.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
wisdom, philosophy
TETSU
Top: to break 折 (A hand 扌 with an axe 斤 can make things break.), below: mouth 口
Even broken, his mouth utters wisdom.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
vomit, through up, spit up, disgorge, spew
haku, TO
Left: mouth 口, right: earth/ground 土
From his mouth and onto the ground he disgorged the vomit.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
Tang-China
kara,
广
Outside: building 广, below: hand ナ/ヨ, pestle 丨, mortar 口
Buildings in which a hand uses a mortar in the Tang Dynasty. (It was 618-907 AD and a heyday. - Maybe that's why people peacefully prepared food in the mortar?)  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
eruption, emit, spout, flush out
fuku, FUN
Left: mouth, opening 口, right: 卉 (ten 十, plant 艹), shell/money 貝
Out of the opening, ten plants and money were flushed out at the eruption.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
merely, only, just, simply
tada, YUI, I
Left: mouth 口, right: bird 隹
The mouth of this bird (sings) merely.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
official, officialdom
RI
Center: mouth 口, rest: measure of length 丈 [Big 大 person measures with long step 3m]
Just a measure of length and a mouth is needed by an official.  
JLPT -Joyo 7
gorge, throat, to be choked
musebu, IN
Left: mouth 口, right: reason 因 (For the fence 囗 around the big 大 person is a reason.)
It is at the mouth and an enclosure/restriction 囗 in respect to the size 大 (of the food): The gorge.  
JLPT -Joyo 7
song, Buddhistic ritual songs
uta,
Left: mouth 口, right: money, shell 貝
(A paid singer?) It comes out of his mouth for money: a song.  
JLPT -Joyo 7
smell, sniff
kagu, KYŪ
Left: mouth 口, right: variation of smell, stink 臭 (because without "dog" 犬)
The mouth 口 itself 自 of the dog 犬 can sniff a smell. (Or: The mouth itself of a dog has a smell.)  
JLPT -Joyo 7
throat
nodo,
Left: mouth 口, right: marquis 侯 (var. of bent person ⺈, arrow 矢)
Also the mouth of a marquis ends in his throat.  
JLPT -Joyo 7
scold, reprove
shikaru, SHITSU
Left: mouth 口, right: sitting person 匕
With his mouth wide open, he is sitting and scolding.  
JLPT -Joyo 7
curse, malediction, magic word, spell, charm
norou, JU
Left: mouth 口, right: elder brother 兄 (A big mouth 口 on legs 儿)
Two brothers 兄兄, but the left without legs, because he is cursed. (Or: Out of the mouth of the elder brother comes: a curse.)  
JLPT -Joyo 7
saliva, spit
tsuba, DA
Left: mouth 口, right: hanging down, drop 垂 (A vehicle 車 with a loose wheel, that almost drops off.)
From the mouth it is hanging (or dripping) down: the saliva.  
JLPT -Joyo 7
ridicule, scoff, sneer
azakeru, CHŪ
Left: mouth 口, right: morning 朝 (= sunrise [= sun 日 rises between plants 艹] and the moon 月 is still there.)
This mouth early in the morning cannot but ridicule sneer.  
JLPT -Joyo 7
suckle, breast feeding
HO
Left: mouth 口, right: to begin 甫 (The hand takes the tool 丶 to use 用, when beginning sth.)
(At a new born baby:) The mouth starts suckling.  
JLPT -Joyo 7
metaphor, compare
YU
Left: mouth 口, right: cover , moon/month 月, var. of river 川
The mouth covers for months the river? Must be a metaphor.  
JLPT -Joyo 7
six lower tones of the octave
RO
Shows two connected rooms 口ノ口 (cf. palace 宮) Here: see ノ as sound waves
(The sound of lower tones can propagate better:) This sound comes from one room to room: The lower tones of the octave.  

Radicals are shown here that are similar either in appearance or meaning.

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