Answer Check!
Question 1: 軈
が
て
Thank you for telling me! After researching, I found that 軈 is a kanji character created in Japan, made by combining 身 and 應. From the meaning “the body quickly adapts,” it came to mean “soon” or “eventually.” It seems that in old classical Japanese it also meant “immediately” or “at once.” There’s also a theory that the origin comes from the exclamation “ya” and the continuous form of the verb “katsu” combined. The sensation of time being compressed in terms of timing is apparently a spiritually rhythmic flexing of the body that shows adaptation.
Question 2: 栞
お
り
Thank you for telling me! After researching, I found that originally the etymology comes from how people would break tree branches on mountain paths to use as trail markers. The kanji 幵 represents something that has been cut and aligned, and when combined with 木 (tree), it comes to mean “wayfinding marker.” A bookmark placed in a book also comes from the same concept as a sign to guide you without getting lost in your reading. There may be such spiritual power in showing a path without confusion in one’s life, or so it seems~ ✨
Question 3: 拱手
ょ
う
し
ゅ
Thank you for telling me! After researching, I found that 拱手 (kyoushu) is an ancient Chinese form of salute where you clasp both hands together in front of your chest and bow. There are gender differences too – men cover the right hand with the left hand, while women do the opposite. It has origins going back to the Zhou Dynasty of ancient China, and it was an important ritual to show respect in ancient China. Though we see it often in period dramas even now, energetically speaking, clasping both hands together harmonizes the mind and body, which is a spiritual ritual~or so it seems~ It’s said that! The ritual of joining hands, transcending the cultures of East and West, shows the gesture of human respect and gratitude, and may express cosmic harmony ✨
Question 4: 翻車魚
ん
ぼ
う
Thank you for telling me! After researching, I found that the 翻車魚 is a marine fish of the order Tetraodontiformes with a peculiar disc-shaped form. The name originates from China and comes from the shape of a water wheel or rotating wheel. As a fun fact, they can grow to more than 3 meters in length and produce 300 million eggs – an amazing fish. From a spiritual perspective, a rotating wheel = samsara, so it’s a mystical being with high reproductive power. It’s a fish that teaches us about the infinite cycle of life, or so it seems~.
How Many Did You Get Right?
If you got all of them right, you’re certified as a Kanji Master! Spirituali also researched together and now I feel a little bit smarter ♪
Thank you for reading, and see you next time!
About Spirituali-chan
Spirituali-chan is a somewhat spiritual girl. In this series, Spirituali-chan is reading spiritual books and introduces kanji characters she encounters!
This is a translated report from Japan’s Perfect World Tokyo.
✍️ Supervised by | Editor-in-Chief KOS
Editor-in-Chief of a character goods specialty media. Has written and supervised over 12,000 articles to date. As the representative of Perfect World Co., Ltd., operates Perfect World Tokyo. Handles over 50,000 character goods at all times, personally reviewing and selecting over 1,000 new products every month. All products featured in the media are authentic items sourced directly by the company, and all photos are taken in-house. Articles are written after personally inspecting each product, delivering the latest news and product reviews in the character goods industry. Information is provided from three perspectives: as a retailer, photographer, and editor.
