Page 64 - Japanese Character Writing for Dummies

to enter

This kanji is very simple to write, having only two strokes. It came from the shape of a con-

NYŪ/hai(ru) ical hat. hairu means “to enter,” usually through an iriguchi (entrance), while

ireru means to “put something into something.” Don’t confuse this with 人 (person,
people), as these two kanji look alike! When you write 入, you start from the shorter left line.

Radical: 入 Number of strokes: two

book, origin, root

Have you mastered the kanji for “tree”? Yes? Then all you have to do is add a small line that
will serve as the root of the tree. As shown earlier, if you add the kanji for “sun,” you will get
HON/moto nihon, the “origin of the sun” (that is, the rising sun, which refers to Japan). Another

meaning is “book.” Books provide us with the basis of knowledge. When this kanji is com-

bined with the kanji for “shop,” we get hon’ten (main store).

Radical: 木 Number of strokes: five

58 Japanese Character Writing For Dummies