The Japanese Radical: 川


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Meaning
river    川

Explanation The water is simplified here as three lines and symbolizes the flow of the river.

Used in these characters:
JLPT 5Joyo 1
river
kawa, SEN

Three lines stand for the flow of a river.  
JLPT 3Joyo 3
province, state, sandbank
su, SHŪ
Three sandbanks in a river
Three sandbanks in the river belong to the province.  
JLPT 3Joyo 3
stream, flow, drift
nagareru, RYŪ, RU
Left: water , right: newborn baby (child turned upside down, because at birth with head first), water/amniotic fluid
Water as well as a newborn child's amniotic fluid are flowing.  
JLPT 3Joyo 4
order, sequence, compliance
JUN
Left: river , right: head/forehead
As the river directs the water, the head gives order & sequence.  
JLPT 3Joyo 4
KUN-Reading, pronounce, lesson, teach
KUN
Left: word (sound waves out of a mouth ), right: river
Words like a river: the KUN reading.  
JLPT 1Joyo 5
disaster, calamity, misfortune
wazawai, SAI
Top: var. of river , below: fire
The river and fire can bring a disaster.  
JLPT 1Joyo 6
faction, group, sect, party
HA
Left: water , right: affluents (branches of water )
Branched like the water of affluents are the factions and sects.  
JLPT 2Joyo 7
violent, wild, lay waste, rough
arai, areru/rasu,
From top: plant , dead (coffin in cross section), river
Plants are dying because the river is so violent.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
be confused, be flustered
awateru/tadashii,
Left: feeling , right: wild/rough/violent (Plants are dying when the river is so violent.)
My feeling when the plants are floating dead in the river is confusion. (Or: My feelings are that wild, that I am confused.)  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
reward, retribution, recompense, repay
SHŪ
Left: wine mug , right: province (river with sandbanks )
A mug of wine for the province as a reward.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
patrol, go around, circumference
meguru, JUN
Left: movement , right: (var. of river , here: the badge of rank of US-army sergeants)
The movement of the US-sergeant is to tour his cycles during patrol.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
sulfur
RYŪ
Left: stone , right: var. of 'to flow' (newborn baby [child turned upside down, because at birth with head first], [amniotic] fluid /)
[The melting point is 115°C] A stone that can flow is sulphur.  

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

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