在
Exist
| on’yomi | kun’yomi | Radicals |
|---|---|---|
| ざい | n/i | ナ + ｜ + 土 |
Meaning: Exist
There’s a narwhal on the end of a stick over a grave. It’s hard to believe that narwhals exist, first of all… but it’s even harder to believe that people who nail narwhals to sticks exist, either. Evil people like that exist??
Just think over and over… people like that don’t exist. They just can’t. The world would be too dark a place.
Reading: ざい
When we need to remember ざい, we use the word “Xylophone” (because the Xy part is pronounced ざい). – While you’re contemplating all this, you hear something off in the distance… It’s a xylophone, and it’s coming closer. Could this be the evil person that hopefully doesn’t exist, coming for you next?
Make sure to feel some of that fear. The xylophone music is scary, too.
Vocabulary
Quite a few words you can learn now! What a treat :D Learn the meanings of all of them and the readings of all of them too (it’s just EZPZ on’yomi, so no problemo, right?)
a 在日（ざいにち）＝ In Japan
- Combo: 在 (exist) + 日 (the 日 part of 日本)
- Meaning: Exist in 日 (short for Japan)
- Reading: On’yomi readings for everyone.
a 在外（ざいがい）＝ Overseas
- Combo: 在 (exist) + 外 (outside)
- Meaning: Anything outside is outside of Japan and therefore overseas
- Reading: On’yomi readings all the way.
a 在米（ざいべい）＝ In America
- Combo: 在 (exist) + 米 (America)
- Meaning: You may remember, but 米 is the old way to refer to アメリカ (because it’s the land of rice). So, 在米 is the word for “in America.”
- Reading: On’yomi readings.
a 不在（ふざい）＝ Absence
- Combo: 不 (not-) + 在 (exist)
- Meaning: The kanji 不 is pretty awesome, and usually makes sense. Basically just negated this kanji. So, something that doesn’t exist is what? Absent.
- Reading: The on’yomi readings for the kanji! :D