危
Dangerous
| on’yomi | kun’yomi | Radicals |
|---|---|---|
| き | あぶ.ない | 勹 + 厂 + 巳 |
Meaning: Dangerous
There’s an enclosure on top of a cliff that holds a snake. No matter how you look at it, this is probably one of the most dangerous places you’ve ever seen.
If it helps, imagine the snake enclosure to be rusty and old, with big holes in it, meaning the snake could get out at any time it wants. Plus, the cliff just has holes in it you can fall down. Basically, you want to make this area as dangerous as you can, so you remember this kanji means dangerous as well.
Reading: き
Why are you here in this terribly dangerous place? You have to go inside the snake enclosure and feed the snake. You were given a key (き) shaped like a snake to unlock the enclosure. You take this key and open it, then throw the food in, lock the enclosure with the key again, and run.
Reading Hint
Make sure you try to feel the fear of what you’re doing. This is a deadly snake, and you have no training. Plus, it’s an angry snake, so you have to be extra scared and careful. Focus in on the key, though. It’s so important, they told you, to lock the enclosure again… you’re not sure why, because there’s already holes in it, but whatevs!
Vocabulary
This is a useful word to know, though it won’t be until a bit later that you learn a word that uses on’yomi in it. Gotta catch’em all before you start putting them together, I guess.
a 危ない（あぶない）＝ Dangerous
- Meaning: 危ないよ！ is something you might say if you see someone doing something dangerous. If someone says this to you… well, you should maybe watch out! Oh, and it’s the same as the kanji, so that’s good. You know it’s an い adjective because of the い sticking out, too.
- Reading: The kun’yomi reading of this kanji is あぶ (and ない sticks out). To learn あぶ, think about dangerous places. One of the places that comes to mind is the Abu (あぶ) Ghraib prison in Iraq. Good things do not happen there… it’s a very dangerous place.
Notes
When you’re feeling safe enough, move on to the next kanji.