画
Drawing
On’yomi: が
Kun’yomi: None
Radicals: Leaf + Rice Paddy + Box
Meaning: Drawing
There’s a nice little leaf coming out of a rice paddy in a little box. So, everything is really tiny. Why? Because actually this is a drawing. Most likely some kind of modern art.
What does this drawing mean? you’re looking at it in the museum, examining it closely. Imagine this scene as a drawing to hit home the point that this kanji means drawing as well.
Reading: が
Now you get it! Someone created this rice paddy in this box. The drawing is trying to depict a god (が) that is creating the earth. It’s like his little sandbox for creation experiments. Putting the rice field in the box and watching it grow is one of those experiments.
Imagine the gods in the corner of the picture, looking down, commenting on the creation and adding feedback. What a strange drawing indeed.
Related Vocabulary
映画 えいが Movie
- 映 (Reflect) + 画 (Drawing)