The House Roof Radical (宀 — Ukanmuri): 安 (Cheap/Safe), 宿 (Inn/Homework 宿題), 宅 (Home), 実 (Truth) & 家
Whenever you see the 3-stroke roof with a top chimney tick (宀 — ukanmuri), imagine looking inside a traditional Japanese home. What is under that roof tells you the entire meaning of the kanji!
Look at how logical the 宀 (House Roof) family is: put 女 (Woman) safely indoors under a roof and you get 安 (Peaceful / Safe / Inexpensive — 安い yasui, 安心 anshin). Put a Person (亻) + 100 (百) under a roof and you get 宿 (Inn / Lodging — and take-home assignments: 宿題 shukudai 'homework'!).
Quick Comparison: 安 (Relax) vs. 宿 (Lodge) vs. 宅 (House) vs. 実 (Truth)
Compare the five high-frequency 宀 (House Roof) kanjis below:
| Kanji & Meaning | Primary Readings (Bold = Primary) | Shibashi Visual Mnemonic Hook | Common Compound Word |
|---|---|---|---|
| 安 — Relax | On: あん Kun: やす |
宀 (House roof) over 女 (Woman relaxing indoors) = PEACEFUL / SAFE / CHEAP (yasui / an, as in 安心 anshin). | 安い (やすい) — cheap |
| 宿 — Lodge | On: しゅく Kun: やど |
宀 (House roof) over 亻 (Person) + 百 (Hundred mats) = a big inn where 100 travelers sleep = INN / LODGING / HOMEWORK (yado / shuku, as in 宿題 shukudai). | 宿題 (しゅくだい) — homework |
| 宅 — House | On: たく Kun: — |
宀 (House roof) over 乇 (sprouting root) = HOME / RESIDENCE (taku, as in 自宅 jitaku). | お宅 (おたく) — (polite) your house |
| 実 — Truth | On: じつ Kun: みの, さね |
宀 (House roof) over three shelves full of harvest grain = a house full of real substance = REAL / TRUTH / FRUIT (mi / jitsu). | 実験 (じっけん) — experiment |
| 家 — Home | On: か Kun: いえ, や, うち |
宀 (House roof) over 豕 (farmhouse pig) = HOUSE / HOME / FAMILY (ie / uchi / ka). | 家 (いえ) — house |
Side-by-Side Illustrated Kanji Flashcards (Tap Readings for Audio)
Compare the custom Shibashi artwork for 安 (Relax) and 宿 (Lodge) below. Notice how each illustration embeds both the English meaning and the primary Japanese reading directly into the scene, and tap any reading to hear native pronunciation:
Step-by-Step Visual Breakdown & Radical Rules
Check what sits underneath the house roof (宀) in each character:
1. 安 (Relax) — Mnemonic Story & Readings
On'yomi: あん | Kun'yomi: やす
Shibashi Visual Story: “Ohh Yassss(u) (やす)!! Under (あん) a safe roof, the women can finally relax.” Key visual distinction: 宀 (House roof) over 女 (Woman relaxing indoors) = PEACEFUL / SAFE / CHEAP (yasui / an, as in 安心 anshin).
2. 宿 (Lodge) — Mnemonic Story & Readings
On'yomi: しゅく | Kun'yomi: やど
Shibashi Visual Story: “A man is visibly shook-u (しゅく) that his yapping-dog (やど) is not allowed at the lodge...” Key visual distinction: 宀 (House roof) over 亻 (Person) + 百 (Hundred mats) = a big inn where 100 travelers sleep = INN / LODGING / HOMEWORK (yado / shuku, as in 宿題 shukudai).
- 宿題 (しゅくだい): homework
- 宿 (やど): inn, lodging
3. 宅 (House) — Mnemonic Story & Readings
On'yomi: たく | Kun'yomi: —
Shibashi Visual Story: “Some people don't want to attack-u (たく) the day; they'd rather stay in the house and do nothing...” Key visual distinction: 宀 (House roof) over 乇 (sprouting root) = HOME / RESIDENCE (taku, as in 自宅 jitaku).
4. 実 (Truth) — Mnemonic Story & Readings
On'yomi: じつ | Kun'yomi: みの, さね
Shibashi Visual Story: “There is no sanity (さね) and no truth ever since the mean nori (みの) destroyed the TV antenna with a jiu-jitsu (じつ) kick...” Key visual distinction: 宀 (House roof) over three shelves full of harvest grain = a house full of real substance = REAL / TRUTH / FRUIT (mi / jitsu).
- 実験 (じっけん): experiment
- 実は (じつは): as a matter of fact, by the way
- 実行 (じっこう): practice, performance, execution (e.g. program), realization
5. 家 (Home) — Mnemonic Story & Readings
On'yomi: か | Kun'yomi: いえ, や, うち
Shibashi Visual Story: “The yakuza (や) pig named Ian (いえ) is resting at his cabin (か) home with oolong & chips (うち).” Key visual distinction: 宀 (House roof) over 豕 (farmhouse pig) = HOUSE / HOME / FAMILY (ie / uchi / ka).
Essential Japanese Vocabulary Words Using 安 / 宿 / 宅 / 実
Once you can recognize 安 (Relax) and 宿 (Lodge) and 宅 (House) individually, lock them into your active reading vocabulary with these high-frequency Japanese words from the Shibashi app:
| Japanese Word | Hiragana Reading | English Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 安い | やすい | cheap | JLPT |
| 安全 | あんぜん | safety | JLPT |
| 不安 | ふあん | anxiety, uneasiness, insecurity, suspense | JLPT |
| 宿題 | しゅくだい | homework | JLPT |
| 宿 | やど | inn, lodging | JLPT |
| お宅 | おたく | (polite) your house | JLPT |
| 宅 | たく | house, home, husband | JLPT |
| 実験 | じっけん | experiment | JLPT |
5-Second Memory Summary: How to Never Mix Up 安 & 宿 & 宅 Again
Under the 宀 (Roof): 女 (Woman) = 安 (Safe / Cheap — yasui); 亻 + 百 (100 people) = 宿 (Inn / Homework 宿題 shukudai / Harajuku 原宿); 乇 = 宅 (Residence — 自宅 jitaku); 3 bars + 大 = 実 (Truth / Fruit — 実は jitsu wa 'actually')!
