The Japanese Radical: 木


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Meaning
tree    木

Explanation

Used in these characters:
JLPT 5Joyo 1
rest, absence, break
yasumu, KYŪ
Left: person or , right: tree
The person at the tree has a rest.  
JLPT 5Joyo 1
school, check

Left: tree , right: crossing, exchange (Image of a person is sitting cross-legged)
Next to a tree, at a intersection, there is the school.  
JLPT 4Joyo 1
forest
mori, SHIN
Shows three trees
Three trees make a forest.  
JLPT 4Joyo 1
village
mura, SON
Left: tree , right: to measure/skillful hand
(Historically a palisade [= a fence] was used as defense around the village) Trees are erected with skillful hands to (protect): the village.  
JLPT 5Joyo 1
tree, wood
ki, ko-, MOKU, BOKU

Image of a (fir) tree with trunk and some branches.  
JLPT 5Joyo 1
book, root, true
moto, HON
A tree with roots
The tree comes out of the roots and the truth has its roots in books.  
JLPT 4Joyo 1
small forest
hayashi, RIN

Two trees as a small forest  
JLPT 5Joyo 2
new
atarashii, arata, SHIN
Left: to stand , tree , right: axe
Out of a standing tree, the axe makes something new.  
JLPT 4Joyo 2
parents, intimate
oya, shitashii, SHIN
Left: to stand , tree , right: to see (= The eye is on legs when looking around.)
Who is standing on a tree and is watching out (for the kids)? - The parents!  
JLPT 4Joyo 2
tea
CHA, SA
From top: plant , person and tree
The plant where a person picks sth. from a 'tree', is the: tea.  
JLPT 5Joyo 2
east
higashi,

The sun rises behind a tree in the east.  
JLPT 5Joyo 2
to come
kuru, RAI
Top: one , bottom: rice (with a long vertical stroke)
Because of one grain of rice I shall come?  
JLPT 4Joyo 2
fun, pleasure, delight, joyful, music
tanoshii, RAKU, GAKU
Combination of white , splashes of water and a tree
Splashing white water on a tree is fun.  
JLPT 3Joyo 3
side, beside, horizontal, lying down
yoko, Ō
Left: tree , right: yellow ([In autumn:] Together the fields turned yellow.)
Trees that have turned yellow are are laid aside horizontally.  
JLPT 3Joyo 3
bridge
hashi, KYŌ
Left: tree , right: accent for emphasis, big and a variation of high (two-storied building)
The tree is remarkably big and high. We use it as a bridge.  
JLPT 3Joyo 3
root, origin, radical
ne, KON
Left: tree , right: 'not good' ('good' would be , but here the accent is missing, thus 'not good')
(Not suitable as construction timber) The tree is not good at the roots.  
JLPT 4Joyo 3
gather, collect, meet
atsumeru, SHŪ
Top: bird (alternative to ), bottom: tree
The birds in the tree have gathered.  
JLPT 3Joyo 3
to plant, plantation
ueru, SHOKU
Left: tree , right: immediately, direct, repair (Ten eyes watch the corner ∟: repair it immediately!)
The trees are planted immediately (after purchase) in a plantation.  
JLPT 3Joyo 3
deep
fukai, SHIN
Left: water , right: variation of hole , tree
The water hole at the tree is deep.  
JLPT 3Joyo 3
pillar, pole, column
hashira, CHŪ
Left: tree , right: master (I emphasize , the king is the master.)
The tree feels like a "master", if it serves as a pillar.  
JLPT 3Joyo 3
board, sheet, panel
ita, HAN, BAN
Left: tree , right: opposition (Climbing the cliff by hand ? I am opposing!)
The tree is opposing against becoming a board.  
JLPT 4Joyo 3
medicine, drug
kusuri, YAKU
Top: plant , below: pleasure, joyful (white splashes in a tree )
A plant we can enjoy is medicine.  
JLPT 3Joyo 3
leaf
ha,
From top: plant , world and tree
The plant's world at a tree are: The leaves.  
JLPT 3Joyo 3
alike, such, polite suffix (Gentleman), condition
sama, zama,
Left: Tree , right: sheep and water
If you have trees, sheep and water you are a gentleman (or alike).  
JLPT 3Joyo 4
idea, proposal, scheme, plan
AN
Top: cheap, peaceful (Under our roof a woman , then everything will be peaceful (...and cheaper??), bottom: tree
Peace in the trees: That is my plan.  
JLPT 3Joyo 4
prosper, flourish, glory
sakaeru, haeru, EI
Top: rays , center: cover (both as: crown ), below: tree .
Light rays like a crown over the tree, that is flourishing and prospers.  
JLPT 3Joyo 4
machine, device
KAI
Left: tree , right: admonish, warning (Two hands hold halberd as warning.) [ = twice this hand 屮 next to each-other and combined]
To process a tree by hand into a halberd, you need a machine.  
JLPT 3Joyo 4
loom, machine, chance, quantifier
hata, KI
Left: tree , right: several (Two threads / were cut by a person with a halberd into several.)
The needed trees are several for a machine. - Or: Made of wood, with at least two threads in a rack and a person you get: a loom or machine.  
JLPT 3Joyo 4
pole, extreme, zenith, extremely
kiwameru, KYOKU, GOKU
Left: tree , from right, a hand pushes seaweed between two bars into a small opening
A tree as a mast holds those two bars extremely far apart such that a hand can hang seaweed in the opening between them: This is extreme.  
JLPT 3Joyo 4
material, timber, lumber, resource
ZAI
Left: tree , right: talent, years of age (If the big man balances on one foot, he is talented.)
If the tree is 'talented' (= in good condition) is used as: timber.  
JLPT 3Joyo 4
kill, murder
korosu, SATSU, SETSU
Left: 杀 (marker and tree ), right: weapon (battle axe) 几 in a hand
At the mark in the tree, he had a weapon in his hand and was killed.  
JLPT 3Joyo 3
mutual, inter-.., aspect, look, Minister
ai-, SŌ, SHŌ
Left: tree , right: eye
A tree seen through the eyes of the ministers mutually.  
JLPT 3Joyo 4
sign, signpost, mark, symbol
shirushi, HYŌ
西
Left: tree , right: vote (In the west 西 you show at a vote.) [ = ひょうぼく = marking pole]
The tree in the west 覀 shows as a signpost.  
JLPT 3Joyo 4
end, close, tip
sue, MATSU, BATSU
At the top the tree has a longer branch (in contrast to: = 'not yet, un-')
The top branch is the tree`s end.  
JLPT 3Joyo 4
fruit, result, carry out, accomplish
hate, hatasu, KA
Top: field , below: tree
The 'fields' of the trees are their fruits.  
JLPT 2Joyo 5
status, class, rank, standard, standing
KŌ, KAKU
Left: tree , right: each/every (With crossed legs on a cushion sits everybody.)
Also amoung trees, every has its status.  
JLPT 2Joyo 5
investigate, inspect, examinate
KEN
Left: tree , right: investigate carefully (originally two people discussing under a roof . Better in respect to 'examine' : a person examining the horse's mouth - [ are the mane and eyes ])
The tree with its covered opening is (by the person) investigated carefully.  
JLPT 2Joyo 5
construct, structure, posture, to care for sb.
kamau,
Left: tree , right: piled up (originally two baskets, the lower one turned upside down.)
Trees are piled up for building.  
JLPT 2Joyo 5
investigate, examine, check
SA
Top: tree (here as timber), bottom: besides, moreover (A pile of stones [= a stone cairn] where moreover stones are added.)
(The building inspectorate imposes safety requirements when wood is piled high to form a structure:) When wood is 'piled' it has to be inspected.  
JLPT 2Joyo 5
miscellaneous
ZATSU, ZŌ
Left: nine , tree , right: bird
Nine trees with birds: what a miscellany!  
JLPT 2Joyo 5
paragraph, clause, quantifier

Top: upturned foot (or: sitting cross-legged), below: tree
An upturned foot in the tree is the topic of this paragraph.  
JLPT 2Joyo 5
construct, build, fabricate
kizuku, CHIKU
From top: bamboo , craftsman , common/normal (A table /几 with a scratch is common.), tree
Bamboo, craftsmen and commonly also trees are needed for construction.  
JLPT 2Joyo 5
protect, preserve, maintain, guarantee
tamotsu, HO, HŌ
Left: person , right: astonished 呆 (mouth (Here: fencing), tree ) (cf: distressed )
The person wants a fence around the tree to protect it. (However a fenced tree causes distress .)  
JLPT 3Joyo 4
not yet, immature
mada, MI
Tree with upper shorter branch (in contrast to: = end)
As the upper branch is shorter, the tree is "not yet" or immature.  
JLPT 1Joyo 6
share, stock, stump
kabu,
Left: tree , right: vermilion (A branch of a young tree has sth. red )
The tree turns red seeing that its stump became a (stock) share.  
JLPT 2Joyo 6
desk, table
tsukue, KI
Left: tree , right: table 几 (cf. ,)
A wooden table.  
JLPT 2Joyo 6
authority, right, claim, power
KEN, GON
Left: tree , right: bird with comb / like i.e. a proud rooster
At the tree there is a combed bird that claims authority.  
JLPT 2Joyo 6
be in trouble, become distressed, suffer
komaru, KON
Outside: enclosure , inside: tree
The enclosed tree is in trouble. (Even though the person wanted a fence around the tree to protect it.)  
JLPT 1Joyo 6
tree, bush, stand
ki, JU
From left: tree , drums (cf: , but here: ten beans ), skillful hand
The tree gives you ten beans (= seed) and your skillful hand makes more: trees and bushes.  
JLPT 1Joyo 6
dye, color, stain, paint, soak
somaru/meru, shimiru, SEN
Top: water , nine , bottom: tree
You need water (= liquid) in 9 (colors, namely the 7 colors of the rainbow + black/white), obtained from trees, to dye with it.  
JLPT 2Joyo 6
maneuver, operate, manipulate, chastity, virginity
misao, ayatsuru,
Left: hand , right: bird's chirping (three beaks of birds in a tree )
Her hand feeds the beaks in the tree and this 'maneuver' shows chastity.  
JLPT 2Joyo 6
search, look for, probe
saguru, sagasu, TAN
Left: hand , right: var. of hole , tree
The hand in the hole of the tree is searching.  
JLPT 2Joyo 6
stick, rod, cane, bar

Left: tree , right: observance of one's task, to offer (Three persons offer their hands in observance.)
A tree as the observance to be made into sticks and rods.  
JLPT 2Joyo 6
counter for flat things like sheets
MAI
Left: tree , right: to hit/strike (hand with a stick )
A tree (= its fibers when producing paper) can be made with steady strikes into flat things.  
JLPT 1Joyo 6
pattern, imitate, figure, copy, model
MO, BO
Left: tree , right: sink, go down (The plants are made by the sun to be large [= as long shadows] at sunset.) [Watch-out: sunrise is: or ]
The tree shows in the sunset (by the long shadow) its pattern.  
JLPT 1Joyo 5
cherry blossom
sakura, Ō
Left: tree , right: rays and: woman
A tree sending out its rays (of delight) like a woman during cherry blossom.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
rack, stand, erect, frame, shelf
kakaru/keru, KA
Top: to add (For getting power your mouth needs sth. to be 'added' [=to eat]), bottom: tree
By adding a tree we erected the rack.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
generally, mostly, roughly, outline
ōmune, GAI
Left: tree , right: already, before (It's 'not good' that the tusk is so crooked, but it's already happened that way.)
A tree is not-good as a modified tusk : generally.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
core, nuclear, nucleus
KAKU
Left: tree , right: zodiac boar cf. pig /
Trees and pigs also consist of atomic nuclei at their core.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
coffin
hitsugi, KAN
Left: tree , right: government (Under a roof with straightly connected rooms is the government.) - but here seen as two stapled coffins in cross-sectional view.)
Made of a tree and piled under a roof: Coffins!  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
leisure, unhurried, quiet, calm
KAN
Outside: gate , inside: tree
Out of the gate and to the tree: to enjoy leisure.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
Shogi (=Japanese chess)
KI
Left: tree , right: =grain shovel/scoop used for threshing by rhythmically throwing up the grain in certain periods (cf. )
It is made of wood and looks like a grain shovel: the Shogi play field.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
abandon, discard
suteru, KI
From top: newborn baby (child turned upside down, because at birth with head first), broom standing upright, tree (broom = )
A newborn child is swept with a broom under a tree and abandoned.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
decay, rot, get old
kuchiru, KYŪ
Left: tree , right: seaweed
Trees are like seaweed, when they are decaying.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
outstanding, excel, greatness
KETSU
Left: person , right: (two feet / as at: to dance ), tree
How the person with two unequal feet made it up the tree is outstanding.  
JLPT 2Joyo 7
wither, decay, blasted
kareru/rasu, KO
Left: tree , right: old (= tomb stone)
When a tree is old it withers and decays.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
plantation, planting, cultivation, plant
SAI
Left: ten , tree , right: halberd
(If necessary, the halberd can be used as a plow:) Ten trees can (by use of a halberd) be planted.  
JLPT 3Joyo 4
tag, card, bill, label
fuda, SATSU
Left: tree , right: kneeling person (here: image of a board)
Out of a tree you make boards or tags.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
scaffold, frame, jetty, beam, cleat
SAN
Left: tree , right: two and halberd
>ou need a tree and two halberds to make: a beam or scaffold.  
JLPT 2Joyo 5
branch, twig, bough, sprig
eda, SHI
Left: tree , right: support/branch/twig (A hand is holding a twig )
A tree with a brance stands for: a branch.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
vermilion, red
SHU
Top: branch with accent as emphasis, below: young tree or immature
(An apple?) A branch of a young tree has sth. red.  
JLPT 2Joyo 7
tender, gentle, soft, mild, weak
yawarakai, JŪ, NYŪ
Spear (developed from the image of a barbed lance) positioned in the top of a tree , where the wood is still weak.
A spear made out the top of a tree is tender and weak.  
JLPT 2Joyo 7
bed, floor
toko, yuka, SHŌ
广
Top: building 广, below: tree
It's in the building and it's wooden: My bed and the floor.  
JLPT 3Joyo 4
pine tree
matsu, SHŌ
Left: tree , right: public (Eight noses form the public.)
A tree for the public is the pine tree.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
pivot, hinge, door
toboso,
Left: tree , right: district/ward (Here: image of a bearing seat with a pivot point cut into a stone)
A tree that is rotatable in its bearing's seat make a pivot.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
Japanese cedar, crytomeriam
sugi,
Left: tree , right: hair
The tree with hair (=protruding florescence) is the Japanese Cedar. (See the 'hairs' also as pollen that cause the frequent allergies.)  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
chop, divide, analyze, classify
SEKI
Left: tree , right: axe
The tree is chopped with an axe for: an analysis.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
plug, cork, stopper, tap, bung
SEN
Left: tree , right: all (Under the roof the king owns all.)
(Think of the cork oak) These trees will all be plugs.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
mulberry
kuwa,
Top: three hands 叒/, below: tree
Three hands on a tree: This must be a mulberry. (during the harvest of leaves for the silkworms)  
JLPT 3Joyo 4
bundle, bunch
tabaneru, tsukaneru, SOKU
In the background a tree , in front an embracement . - The tree stands for many plants , that are lashed with a ribbon
'Trees' are bound to a bundle.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
tub, vat, container, tank

Left: tree , right: companion (Such that the ground is broken up by 2 sprouts in the field , the sun is needed: and a caring companion.)
It is wooden and for your companion: It's a tub or vat.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
shelf, rack
tana,
Left: tree , right: friend, comrade 朋 (two moons/months)
The tree will be within two months: a shelf.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
peach
momo,
Left: tree , right: sign, omen, trillion (cracks in a turtle shell; used for divination in ancient China)
The tree with a stone like a turtle's shell is: the peach.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
ridgepole, building
mune, muna,
Left: tree , right: east (here: the tree as the ridge beam, located horizontal at the roof's top, which supports at both sides boards that form the roof)
The tree located at the top, which supports the roof's boards is the ridgepole.  
JLPT 2Joyo 7
mug, cup, (sake-)cup
sakazuki, HAI
Left: tree , right: not (Four lines are not enough.)
A tree is not yet a (sake) cup.  
JLPT 3Joyo 4
plum
ume, BAI
Left: tree , right: every (A lying person = has a mother , namely every!) [mother = breastfeeding woman with swollen breasts :]
The tree for everybody is the plum tree.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
mediator, intermediary
BAI
Left: woman , right: a certain (Sweets from the tree for a certain person) [sweet = mouth with sth. in]
The women go to the "sweet tree", that is an intermediary (matchmaker).  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
handle, grip, crank, knob, pattern
gara, e, HEI
Left: tree , right: number 3: (one [Here: handle], inside [Here: simplification of gate )
Made of wood, a handle for a gate. This handle.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
a certain, so-and-so, that person, unspecified
nanigashi, BŌ, BAI
Top: sweet (image of an open mouth 廿 with something sweet between teeth), below: tree
When he has his mouth widely open as big as a tree, he is a certain person.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
conspire, plot, scheme, strategy, stratagem
hakaru, hakarigoto, BŌ, MU
Left: word (sound waves out of mouth ), right: a certain (Sweets from the tree for a certain person) [sweet = = a mouth with sth. in]
The words that sweets are in that tree are a conspiracy.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
crude, rough, simple, magnolia
, BOKU
Left: tree , right: divine (crack in the shell of a turtle used for divination)
A tree can be used for divining only in the crude way.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
handrail, column (of text), section
RAN
Left: tree , right: gate , below: east
The tree at the eastern gate becomes a handrail.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
willow
yanagi, RYŪ
Left: tree , right: rabbit 卯 [う] (but here as a variation of egg [= image of fish roe]) [兎=うさぎ is also rabbit]
The tree with catkin (like "eggs") is a willow.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
watchtower, turret, belvedere, high building

Left: tree , right: 娄 (rice , woman )
Wood and rice for the women (is stored) in the tower.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
frame, limit
waku,
Left: tree , right: nine , ten
From one tree you can make nine or ten frames.  
JLPT -Joyo 7
chair, seat, position
I
Left: tree/wood , right: strange (There is a big possibility , but it looks strange.)
The tree became a strange chair.  
JLPT -Joyo 7
gloom, melancholy, depression
UTSU
Top: tree , container/jar (lid and can opener of that can ), tree ; below: lid , var. of disaster/bad luck , seated Person , three hairs
A container between two trees covers an unlucky person with three hairs who became depressed. (or simply: Such a kanji makes me depressed.)  
JLPT -Joyo 7
Kaisho-writing style
KAI
Left: tree , right: every/each (I compare , but the rays of the sun make it white : all & everything!) - (The Kaisho is a block-writing style, where every stroke is separate.)
Like single trees are all (strokes) of the Kaisho writing style.  
JLPT -Joyo 7
persimmon
kaki,
Left: tree , right: town/market
(Persimmons keep fresh in the refrigerator only for a few days) From the tree (directly) to the market: the persimmon.  
JLPT -Joyo 7
(cross-)beam, spar, place, digit (math.)
keta,
Left: tree , right: go/walk
A tree you can walk on is a (cross-)beam.  
JLPT -Joyo 7
closed up, jammed, outline, summary

Left: tree , right: renew, again (The length or size of the sun shows renewedly.)
Even trees need to renew when they had a closed-up.  
JLPT -Joyo 7
pluck, get, take
SAI
Top: hand reaching down , bottom: tree
Pictograph of a hand reaching down into a tree to pluck (or get) sth.  
JLPT -Joyo 7
fence, railing, barrier
SAKU
Left: tree , right: bundle of bamboo writing tablets/book volume (here: image of a fence)
Made of wood and looking like a fence: A fence.  
JLPT -Joyo 7
area, temple, short moment
SATSU, SETSU
Left: 杀 (marker/cross , tree ), right: knife
The cross on the tree was cut by a knife and marks the area of the temple.  
JLPT -Joyo 7
oak variety, hammer, vertebra
TSUI
Left: tree , right: bird
The tree with that bird is a kind of oak.  
JLPT -Joyo 7
horse chestnut
tochi,
From left: tree , cliff , ten thousand
The tree on the cliff carries ten thousand horse chestnuts.  
JLPT -Joyo 7
Nashi, pear tree
nashi,
Top: profit (Rice plants cut with a knife bring profit.), bottom: tree
A profitable tree is the Nashi-pear.  
JLPT -Joyo 7
knee
hiza,
Learn this together with "lacquer/varnish" (うるし) = "From the water/sap of this tree the person makes drops of: lacquer "
(In former times they had wooden lacquered knee-protectors) The body part / with the lacquer are the: knee.  
JLPT -Joyo 7
pillow, head rest
makura, CHIN
Left: tree , right: 冘 etymology not clear: orig. pictograph for hanging, now interpreted as a big person with broken arms and broken leg
Under the tree, there is sb. with broken arms and leg: Bring a pillow!  
JLPT -Joyo 7
fear, horrified, shudder
RITSU
西
Left: feeling , right: west 西 (Sunset of the sun under the horizon in the west), tree
(It gets dark quickly in the forest:) The feelings at sunset in the trees were: Fear and terror.  

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

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