交
Mix
| on’yomi | kun’yomi | Radicals |
|---|---|---|
| こう | まじ.る | 亠 + 父 |
Meaning: Mix
Your father is in a kettle with a lid on top. This is a horrible situation. To make things worse, someone is forcing you to mix him with a big spoon. As you mix him, he tells you to mix harder, so that at least your life can be saved. “Mix me, child! Mix me!!”
Imagine yourself having to mix your father in a kettle, then put the lid on. This is a terrible thing… but also a terrible thing you’ll probably remember, helping you to remember the kanji’s meaning as well.
Reading: こう
Just before your father dies from you mixing him in a pot of boiling water, he has to tell you something. “I’m not your father! Your father is… こういち!
Oh my gosh! Quite the bomb. Feel the shock, anger, and then forgiveness. You killed the person who you thought was your father because crazy people made you do it… but then you find out that こういち is your real father?? Such a mix of emotions to draw on to remember this reading!
Vocabulary
Learn the meanings of these words and their readings too, if you’re able. There’ll be quite a few more words that use this kanji that show up later on.
a 交わる（まじわる）＝ To Intersect With
- Meaning: Kind of the same as the kanji. When you mix things you intersect them, right?
- Reading: You have to remember the まじ part to know the kun’yomi of this kanji. When you think of things mixing or intersecting, imagine a witch doing it, using magic (まじ)
a 交じる（まじる）＝ To Be Mixed With
- Meaning: This is one of the verb forms of the kanji’s meaning.
- Reading: Once again, think back to magic (まじ) doing these things.
a 交ぜる（まぜる）＝ To Mix
- Meaning: The meaning is the same as the kanji, but verb form.
- Reading: Once again, think about magic (まじ).