🖼️ Where did these kanji come from?
Each kanji began as a picture. Follow the journey from real-world image → ancient script → modern kanji for each character in this set.
The character 名 shows a mouth (口) speaking in the dark of night (夕) — because at night you cannot see someone, you must call out their name to identify them.
Originally depicted a boat moving forward — the direction you are heading: in front. The knife radical suggests cutting ahead through water.
A border (口) enclosing a person with a spear (或) — the image of a country as a territory defended and bounded by its people.
Originally showed a grain plant (禾) with a hand reaching privately (ム) — taking grain for oneself. The idea of private ownership became 'I'.
A hand holding a stick — an image of authority and guidance. In ancient times, the father was the one who guided with a staff.
📖 Key Words Using These Kanji
See how each kanji appears in everyday Japanese words.
名 mei / na · name
前 zen / mae · before
国 koku / kuni · country
私 shi / watashi · I
父 fu / chichi · father
✏️ Reading Quiz
Each question shows a word containing the kanji you learned. Choose the correct reading. ON = Chinese reading · KUN = Japanese reading.