起
Wake Up
On’yomi: き
Kun’yomi: お
Radicals: Run + Spring
Meaning: Wake Up
If you run cold spring water over a sleeping person’s face, they will be sure to wake up no matter how deep a sleep they’re in. Having a cold stream of spring water run over their face is one of the best ways to get someone to wake up, actually. Has to be spring water though – accept no substitutes.
Pretend you’re being awakened this way. Feel the startled jolt of cold spring water being run over your face. It’s very surprising and the water is freezing. Imagine how cold it is and what a terrible way this would be to start your day.
Reading: お
But which spring water should you use? Ozarka (お). You should use Ozarka. Ozarka is the best spring water to get someone to wake up because it’s from the Ozarks (a physiographic and geologic highland region of the central United States).
Now picture this – the absolute worst way to wake up. Your sleeping body is dropped into the freezing cold spring water all the way up in the Ozark Mountains. How they got you there without waking you is a mystery, but you’re cold, angry, and wet with spring water running all over your body. How rude.