Kanji

Question 1

晶

Answer 1

crystal, sparkle

multiple “tiny suns”

結晶、けっしょう: crystal, crystallisation
晶光、しょうこう: brilliant light

Question 2

理

Answer 2

reason, truth, logic

“jewel” + “computer” (“brain” + “soil”)

story: the true jewels of mere computing is computing to reason

examples:
理論、りろん: theory
理由、りゆう: reason, motive
理事、りじ: director, chairman

Question 3

石

いし

Answer 3

stone

“cliff” + “mouth”

boulders collect at the bottom (the entrance) to a cliff.

石鹸、せっけん: soap
歯石、しせき: (dental) tartar, German: Zahnstein
石灰、せっかい: lime stone, 灰: ash
石炭、せきたん: coal, 炭: “mountains of ash”, charcoal, associated with carbonisation
石油、せきゆ: oil, petrolium

Question 4

油

あぶら

Answer 4

oil

“water” + “seedling” (sprout)

Liquifying seeds usually gives you oil for cooking

ごま油、ごまあぶら: sesame oil
石油、せきゆ: oil, petrolium
油断、ゆだん: unpreparedness, 断: decision

Question 5

由

Answer 5

reason, cause, source

a seed sprouting from a “rice field”

理由、りゆう: reason
来由、らいゆ and 由来、ゆらい: source, origin, from 来, come, future
由来書、ゆらいしょ: memoirs, history

Question 6

炭

すみ

Answer 6

charcoal

“mountain” + “ash”, associated with everything carbon

石炭、せきたん: coal
炭水化物、たんすいかぶつ: carbohydrate
炭化、たんか: carbonisation
炭田、たんでん: coalfield

Question 7

混

Answer 7

mix

“water” + “sun” + “compare”

story: a (flowing) continuum, in which only the brightest sunlight allows for a separation of the ingredients for a comparison is well-mixed

混合、こんごう: mix, mixture
混乱、こんらん: confusion; chaos, mayhem

Question 8

零

Answer 8

zero

“rain” + “order” (command)

story: rain nullifies a great deal of military orders

零度、れいど: freezing point, 0°C

Question 9

凍

Answer 9

freeze

“ice” + “east”

For Europe, freezing cold wave tend to come from the East

Question 10

烈

Answer 10

fierce, rage, patrionsim

“bone” + “sword” + “fire”

猛烈、もうれつ: violent
烈女、れつじょ: heroine
烈士、れっし: patriot, hero
烈風、れっぷう: gale, violent wind

Question 11

危

Answer 11

dangerous

“bound up” + “unlucky”

危ない、あぶない: dangerous
危険、きけん: danger, hazard
危機、きき: crisis, 機 is likely more along the lines of chance, opportunity - crisis as an opportunity to change direction

Question 12

水

みず

Answer 12

water

A walking stick (first stroke) dropping into a body of water and making it splash in all directions

水路、すいろ: channel, waterway, aqueduct
水泳、すいえい: swimming (discipline)
水源、すいげん: spring, origin of a waterway
水銀、すいぎん: mercury

Question 13

氷

こおり

Answer 13

ice

“water” crystalizing around a “drop”

氷河、ひょうが: “river of ice”: glacier
氷河期、ひょうがき: ice age, glacial period
氷輪、ひょうりん: the moon, “white circle”

Question 14

永

Answer 14

eternity, long

a drop of water in the ocean as a symbol for eternity

永遠、えいえん: eternity, permanence, from 遠, far, distant
永眠、えいみん: eternal sleep, death

Question 15

明

Answer 15

clear, bright

“sun” + “moon”

Also mental brightness, cleverness, associated with cheerfulness

明るい、あかるい: bright; cheerful
証明、しょうめい: proof (-> clear up sth, enlighten)
鮮明、せんめい: vivid, clear
明細、めいさい: details, particulars, 細: detail, small, pebble
明記、めいき: specification

Question 16

説

Answer 16

theory, opinion, hearsay, view

“say” + “convert” (change into sth else)

仮説、かせつ: hypothesis
説明、せつめい: explanation

Question 17

談

だん

Answer 17

story, talk, conversation, discussion

“say” + “flame” (passion, rarely inflammation)

談話室、だんわしつ: lounge
談義、だんぎ, also 談議、だんぎ: discussion, discourse

Question 18

話

はなし

Answer 18

story, talk, conversation, tale

“say” + “tongue” (“a thousand mouths”)

話し、はなし: speak (a language)
話芸、わげい: (the art of) storytelling
話者、わしゃ: narrator

Question 19

言

Answer 19

word; remark, statement, say

“four soundwaves” coming out of a “mouth”

言葉、ことば: word, term, language; with 葉, leaf
言語、げんご: language

Question 20

葉

は

Answer 20

leaf

bottom to top: “tree” + “generation” + “flowers”

言葉、ことば: language
葉洩れ日、はもれび: sunlight sifting through tree leaves, cf. 木漏れ日、こもれび: sunlight filtering through trees. The latter is known, replacing 木 with 雲 to get the German Gottesfinger is not a phrase a Japanese would use, according to reddit

Question 21

奪

Answer 21

rob, steal, dispossess

“big” + (St Bernard’s dog) + “turkey” + “glue”

story: The St Bernard’s dog tries to steal the turkey, but since it is glued to the table, the dog needs to exert considerable force

奪う、うばう: steal, rob
奪回、だっかい: recapture, recovery (of something previously lost in battle)
奪還、だっかん: recapture, recovery (of something previously lost in battle)

Question 22

泉

いずみ

Answer 22

spring, fountain

“white” + “water”

water gushing out of the spring, bubbling white

線: line, route, track; “thread” + “spring”
間欠泉、かんけつせん, also 間歇泉: geyser, from 間: between, among + 欠: lack, vacancy = 間欠: intermittent
温泉、おんせん: onsen, hot spring
泉下、せんか: Hades, the Hereafter

Question 23

原

はら

Answer 23

original, raw, plain, primary; also tundra, moor, meadow

“cliff” + “spring” (fountain)

原因、げんいん: cause, origin, source
原理、げんり: principle; theory, fundamental truth
地雷原、じらいけん: minefield (“The source of the land rumbling”), 地雷、じらい: land mine

Question 24

源

げん

Answer 24

source; origin

“water” + “origin, primary, meadow”

specifically the source of water

源泉徴収、げんせんちょうしゅう: tax withholding at the source

Question 25

料

りょう

Answer 25

fee, material; ingredient

“rice” + “(big) measuring cup”

fees were messured out in rice cups

食料、しょくりょう: groceries, food
給料、きゅうりょう: salary
料金、りょうきん: rate, fee
料理、りょうり: cooking, cuisine
料理人、りょうりにん: cook
料理法、りょうりほう: recipe

Question 26

含

がん

Answer 26

include; have, contain, imply

“now” + “mouth” (entrance)

it is in the entrance now; it is included

含む、ふくむ: contain, include
含水化合物、がんすいかごうぶつ: hydrate
含浸、がんしん: impregnation

Question 27

用

Answer 27

utilize; use, service

primitives: “flesh” + “walking stick”

用具、ようぐ: tools, implement
用心、ようじん: precaution (“use of mind”)
専用、せんよう: dedicated; exclusive or personal use, private
作用、さよう: use, effect, action

Question 28

医

Answer 28

doctor; medicine, healing

primitives: “enclosure” + “loss”

story: A doctor / medicine / healing constrains the loss of well-being

医学、いがく: medical science
医者、いしゃ and 医師、いし: doctor, physician
医療、いりょう: medical treatment

Question 29

暮

Answer 29

end; nightfall, sunset; livelihood

“not, do not” + “day”

From nightfall to livelihood: You spend your time until nightfall with earning your livelihood.

暮らし、くらし: living, lifestyle
暮れる、くれる: end
夕暮れ、ゆうぐれ: dusk, nightfall
Can also be used as a suffix indicating twilight, e.g. 暮雲, 暮雨

Question 30

煙

けむり

Answer 30

smoke

“fire” 火 + “west” 西 + “soil” 土

煙水晶、えんすいしょう: smoky quartz
煙草、えんそう: tobacco, cigarettes
煙突、えんとつ: chimney, smokestack

Question 31

乱

Answer 31

war; riot; rebellion, revolt

primitives: 舌, tongue + 乙, hook

混乱、こんらん: confusion, mayhem, disorder
動乱、どうらん: riot
乱臣、らんしん: traitor (a rioting servant)
乱流、らんりゅう and 乱気流、らんきりゅう: (air) turbulence

Question 32

精

Answer 32

spirit, vitality, energy; essence

primitives: 米, rice + 青, blue (“grow up” + 月, moon)

“grow up” is an element that is not a kanji itself. it is associated with plants. Do not confuse it with 王, king, or 主, master, proprietor!

story: rice growing quietly under the light of the moon is an image of vitality and energy.

精神、せいしん: spirirt, mind; soul; 精神的: mental
精力、せいりょく: energy, vitality, vigour
精算、せいさん: adjustment; exact calculation
精緻、せいち: subtle; delicate, minute

Question 33

住

Answer 33

living; dwelling

primitives: person 人 + master, lord, host 主

story: “Man’s home is their castle”

住む 、すむ: reside, inhabit, dwell
住居、すまい: house, residence; address, dwelling
居住、きょじゅう: residence, house
住所、じゅうしょ: residence, address
住民、じゅうみん: resident, inhabitant, population, citizens

Question 34

寂

Answer 34

loneliness

primitives: “house” + uncle 叔 (up 上 + small 小 + or again, &)

寂しい、さびしい: lonely, desolate
寂滅、じゃくめつ: nirvana, death
寂靜、せきせい: calmness, enlightenment, tranquility

Question 35

景

Answer 35

scenery

primitives: sun, 日 + capital, 京

風景、ふうけい: scenery, scene, landscape
前景気、まえげいき: prospect, outlook, promise
景色、けしき: scenery, scene, landscape
雪景色、ゆきげしき: snowy landscape

Question 36

影

かげ

Answer 36

shadow

primitives: scenery, 景 + “shape”

影響、えいきょう: affect, effect
影口、かげぐち: malicious gossip
影像、えいぞう: silhouette
黒影、こくえい: dark shadow, silhouette
影印、えいいん: facsimile