Inside the 广 (Building Roof) Kanji Family: 度 (Degree / Times — Do), 店 (Shop — Mise), 広 (Wide) & 占 (Occupy)
Every kanji wearing the 广 (madare — Slanted Roof with a Chimney Dot) radical takes place under a building awning! See how what sits underneath separates 度 (Degree / Times), 店 (Shop), and 広 (Wide).
Weather forecasts in Japan show 25度 (nijūgo-do — 25 degrees), friends say 今度 (kondo — next time) and もう一度 (mō ichido — one more time), and every street is lined with 店 (mise / ten — shops). All of them wear the 广 (Building Awning) radical!
Quick Comparison: 度 (Degree) vs. 店 (Store) vs. 広 (Wide) vs. 占 (Fortune)
Compare 度, 店, 広, and 占 in the table below:
| Kanji & Meaning | Primary Readings (Bold = Primary) | Shibashi Visual Mnemonic Hook | Common Compound Word |
|---|---|---|---|
| 度 — Degree | On: ど, たく Kun: たび |
广 (Roof awning) + 廿 (20) + 又 (a Hand measuring span) = DEGREE / TEMPERATURE / COUNTER FOR TIMES (do / tabi). | 一度 (いちど) — once, one time, on one oc... |
| 店 — Store | On: てん Kun: みせ |
广 (Roof awning) over 占 (occupying a counter spot, sen/ten) = STORE / SHOP (mise / ten). | 店員 (てんいん) — employee (of a store), sh... |
| 広 — Wide | On: こう Kun: ひろ |
广 (Roof awning) over 厶 (open elbow room) = WIDE / SPACIOUS (hiroi / kō). | 広い (ひろい) — spacious, wide |
| 占 — Fortune | On: せん Kun: し |
卜 (Divining rod / sign) over 口 (Mouth/Counter) = OCCUPY / FORTUNE-TELLING (shimeru / uranau / sen). | 占める (しめる) — to occupy; to hold; to ac... |
Side-by-Side Illustrated Kanji Flashcards (Tap Readings for Audio)
Compare the custom Shibashi artwork for 度 (Degree) and 店 (Store) 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
Plus, see how to tell 度 (Degree / Times — ends with 又 Hand) from its lookalike 席 (Seat — ends with 巾 Cloth):
1. 度 (Degree) — Mnemonic Story & Readings
On'yomi: ど, たく | Kun'yomi: たび
Shibashi Visual Story: “Otaku (たく) dog (ど) cooking up some taco beef (たび) with “a million” degrees...” Key visual distinction: 广 (Roof awning) + 廿 (20) + 又 (a Hand measuring span) = DEGREE / TEMPERATURE / COUNTER FOR TIMES (do / tabi).
- 一度 (いちど): once, one time, on one occasion
- 支度 (したく): preparation, arrangements
- 度 (たび): counter for occurrences
2. 店 (Store) — Mnemonic Story & Readings
On'yomi: てん | Kun'yomi: みせ
Shibashi Visual Story: “This store has a ten (てん) percent sale; Don’t miss it (みせ)!!” Key visual distinction: 广 (Roof awning) over 占 (occupying a counter spot, sen/ten) = STORE / SHOP (mise / ten).
- 店員 (てんいん): employee (of a store), shop assistant, clerk, salesperson
- 閉店 (へいてん): closing shop, going out of business
3. 広 (Wide) — Mnemonic Story & Readings
On'yomi: こう | Kun'yomi: ひろ
Shibashi Visual Story: “The wide-head koala (こう) rocks piano at the He-Rocku (ひろ) Festival!” Key visual distinction: 广 (Roof awning) over 厶 (open elbow room) = WIDE / SPACIOUS (hiroi / kō).
- 広い (ひろい): spacious, wide
- 広がる (ひろがる): to spread (out), to extend, to stretch, to reach to, to get around
4. 占 (Fortune) — Mnemonic Story & Readings
On'yomi: せん | Kun'yomi: し
Shibashi Visual Story: “Fortune favors the bold. Young boy is already making many cents (せん) from his shiitake (し) stand.” Key visual distinction: 卜 (Divining rod / sign) over 口 (Mouth/Counter) = OCCUPY / FORTUNE-TELLING (shimeru / uranau / sen).
Essential Japanese Vocabulary Words Using 度 / 店 / 広 / 占
Once you can recognize 度 (Degree) and 店 (Store) and 広 (Wide) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 一度 | いちど | once, one time, on one occasion | JLPT |
| 支度 | したく | preparation, arrangements | JLPT |
| 度 | たび | counter for occurrences | JLPT |
| 店員 | てんいん | employee (of a store), shop assistant, clerk, salesperson | JLPT |
| 閉店 | へいてん | closing shop, going out of business | JLPT |
| 広い | ひろい | spacious, wide | JLPT |
| 広がる | ひろがる | to spread (out), to extend, to stretch, to reach to, to get around | JLPT |
| 占める | しめる | to occupy; to hold; to account for | JLPT |
5-Second Memory Summary: How to Never Mix Up 度 & 店 & 広 Again
Under the 广 (Building roof): 廿 + 又 (Hand) measures 度 (Degrees / Times — 今度 kondo, 温度 ondo); 占 (Counter spot) is a 店 (Shop — mise / 店員 ten'in); and 厶 (Open space) is 広 (Wide — hiroi)!
