休

Rest

Meaning: Rest

The leader is next to the tree. What is he doing? He’s leaning against it, resting.

One of the best things you can do under a tree is rest. Just lean your head against it and close your eyes. The leader of your outfit has been working hard, and he really, really needed that rest.

Reading: きゅう

To remember きゅう we use the word “cute” – The leader who’s resting under the tree suddenly gets surrounded by all the animals living in the tree… but, they’re not evil, they’re very, very cute (きゅう), adorable things. Squirrels with big eyes, funny birds, and so on. Everything is just so amazingly cute.

Make sure you imagine really cute things and get the “awww” factor going in your heart. It’ll help you to remember this kanji’s reading.

Vocabulary

Learn the vocab before moving on. I bet you can do both the meanings and the readings too – they’re not too bad.

a 休み（やすみ）＝　Rest

• Meaning: The same as the kanji
• Reading: The kun’yomi reading. You have to remember the やす part. Perhaps you can think of someone asking if you want to rest. What would your response be? “Yes” (やす).

a 休む（やすむ）＝　To Rest, To Take A Day Off

• Meaning: The same as the kanji, but the verb form.
• Reading: If you know 休み’s reading you know this reading as well.

a 休止（きゅうし）＝　Pause

• Combo: 休 (rest) + 止 (stop)
• Meaning: If you stop and rest, you’re pausing.
• Reading: The reading is the on’yomi readings of the two kanji.

a 休日（きゅうじつ）＝　Holiday

• Combo: 休 (rest) + 日 (day)
• Meaning: A rest day is a holiday!
• Reading: The on’yomi readings of the two kanji.

a 冬休み（ふゆやすみ）＝　Winter Holiday

• Combo: 冬 (winter) + 休み (rest)
• Meaning: The winter rest time is the winter holiday
• Reading: The kun’yomi reading of both of these – one hint that it’s the kun’yomi reading is the hiragana sticking out

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