吸
Suck
| on’yomi | kun’yomi | Radicals |
|---|---|---|
| きゅう | す.う | 口 + 及 |
Meaning: Suck
You can’t get up the (reinforced) stairs. Your mouth won’t let you. You can’t suck in enough air, because you’ve smoked too much all your life.
The phrase for “smoking a cigarette” (タバコを吸う) is one of the most common uses of this kanji, thus the smoking reference in the mnemonic.
Reading: きゅう
To remember the reading きゅう we use the word “Cute.” – You’ve been sucking on cigarettes so much you can’t get up the stairs too well. When you get to the top, you run into this really cute (きゅう) guy/girl (pick one) that you want to talk to. But, he/she walks away before you can because you’re out of breath :(
Poor you – feel the disappointment while you think how cute that person was… and also think about how you can’t suck in air fast enough – it’s like breathing through a straw, or something.
Vocabulary
Learn the meanings of these words before moving on (and ht readings if you’re able). You’ll get plenty more words using this kanji in the near future, including awesome words like “vampire,” though I have a feeling they won’t be sparkly.
a 吸う（すう）＝ To Suck
- Meaning: Not “suck” as in to be “terrible.” More like suck, as in inhaling something. This is the verb form of the kanji.
- Reading: The kun’yomi reading of the kanji. Imagine someone sucking your face off. What would you do? Probably sue (す) to get enough money for a new face. Imagine being in court without a face. That’d be weird…
a 吸い込む（すいこむ）＝ Inhale
- Combo: 吸い (suck) + 込む (crowded)
- Meaning: I guess when you suck in your mouth and lungs become crowded with air?
- Reading: The kun’yomi readings of both kanji. Hint is that they both have hiragana sticking out.