The Japanese Radical: 古


Kanji-Trainer
Search:
 
Meaning
old    古

Explanation Picture of a gravestone

Used in these characters:
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 3Joyo 3
bitter, pain, worries
nigai, kurushii, KU
Top: plant 艹, bottom: old 古 (image of a tomb stone)
Plants (or herbs) that are old, taste bitter.  
JLPT 3Joyo 3
lake
mizuumi, KO
From left: Water 氵, old 古 (=tomb-stone), moon 月
Water and the old moon can be seen in the lake.  
JLPT 3Joyo 4
hard, firm, strong
katai, KO
Outside frame 囗, but here: mouth 口, inside: old 古 (= tomb stone). [Some things like the meat of old animals or full-grown vegetable become hard with age.]
In the mouth old things taste: hard. (In contrast: The young/immature 未 is in the mouth 口 with a taste 味)  
JLPT 2Joyo 5
residence, inhabit, exist, stay
iru, oru, KYO
Top: buttocks in side view 尸, below: old 古 (= originally a skull, but more helpful: the image of a tomb stone)
When the buttocks gets old, he stays at his residence.  
JLPT 2Joyo 5
reason, past, cause, circumstances
yue, KO
Left: old 古 (tomb stone), right: to strike 攵 (hand 又 with a stick ノ)
When the old (man) strikes, there is a reason in the past.  
JLPT 2Joyo 5
individual, private person
KO
Left: person 亻/人, right: hard 固 (Some things 囗 with age 古 become hard.)
A person who acts such hard (= tough) is actually an isolated individual.  
JLPT 2Joyo 5
suitable, fit, agree
TEKI
Left: movement 辶, right: old emperor (combination of emperor 帝 and old 古)
The old emperor moves suitable and fitting.  
JLPT 1Joyo 5
enemy, rival, opponent
kataki, TEKI
Left: old emperor (var. of emperor 帝 and old 古), right: strike 攵 (hand 又 with a stick ノ)
The old emperor strikes his enemies.  
JLPT 1Joyo 6
seawater, tide
shio, CHŌ
Left: water 氵, right: morning 朝 - BETTER: lake 湖, having the part: "old 古" both normal and upside-down to show changing directions of the tides.
The lake with changing directions stands for: seawater & tides.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
a piece, item (counter)
KA, KO
Top: bamboo 竹, below: hard 固 (Some things 囗 [=meat, some vegetable] with age 古 become hard 固)
Bamboo is hard and thus suitable as an: item counter.  
JLPT 2Joyo 7
wither, decay, blasted
kareru/rasu, KO
Left: tree 木, right: old 古 (= tomb stone)
When a tree is old it withers and decays.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
lay a foundation, set, place, fix, install, equip
sueru/waru,
Left: hand 扌, right: reside, residence 居 (Where your buttocks 尸 gets old 古, is your residence.)
My hand lays for my residence: the foundation.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
heir, legitimate birth
CHAKU
Left: woman 女, right: old emperor (mélange of emperor 帝 and old 古)
The woman bore the old emperor a heir.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
pluck, pick, pinch, extract
tsumu, tsumamu, TEKI
Left: hand 扌, right: old emperor (mix of emperor 帝 and old 古)
The hand of the old emperor is plucking sth.  
JLPT 2Joyo 7
drop, drip
shizuku, shitataru, TEKI
Left: water 氵, right: old emperor (mix of emperor 帝 and old 古)
(Due to problems with the prostate gland?) Passing 'water', can be done by old emperor only drop by drop.  
JLPT -Joyo 7
to imprison so., tie up, to bond sb.
KO
Left: gold/metal 金, right: hard/firm/strong 固 (Some things 囗 [= meat, some vegetable] with age 古 [= tomb stone] become hard 固)
Metal is hard/strong and thus used for a prison.  
JLPT -Joyo 7
hem, cuff (of trousers), foot of a mountain
suso,
Left: clothes 衤/衣, right: exist, residence 居 (Where your buttocks 尸 gets old 古, is your residence.)
Clothes have/exist-only with hems and cuffs.  

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

At this page you get the memory phrases for learning the Japanese Kanji. If you are learning the Chinese Hanzi, please follow this link.




List of the characters | List of the radicals
Get the app of the Kanji-Trainer!

The app has many other functions, such as character selection according to difficulty, practice programs, handwriting recognition and success statistics!

To the Trainer