金 (Gold/Money) vs. 全 (All/Whole) vs. 今 (Now) vs. 会 (Meet): Under the Umbrella Roof (人)
When 人 (Person) sits at the very top of a kanji, it stretches wide like a peaked roof or umbrella. Look directly underneath that roof to distinguish 金 (Gold), 全 (Whole), 今 (Now), and 会 (Meet)!
Look at 全 (All / Whole — zen) and 金 (Gold / Money — kin / kane): both have a peaked roof hat on top of 王 (King)! Literally the only difference between 'the whole world' (全部 zenbu) and 'gold/money' (お金 okane) is two tiny gold nuggets!
Quick Comparison: 金 (Gold) vs. 全 (All) vs. 今 (Now) vs. 会 (Meet)
Compare all four peaked-roof kanjis side-by-side below:
| Kanji & Meaning | Primary Readings (Bold = Primary) | Shibashi Visual Mnemonic Hook | Common Compound Word |
|---|---|---|---|
| 金 — Gold | On: きん, こん Kun: かね, かな |
Roof hat over 王 (King) WITH two sparkling gold nuggets tucked on the sides = GOLD / MONEY / FRIDAY (kane / kin). | お金 (おかね) — money |
| 全 — All | On: ぜん Kun: すべ |
Roof hat over 王 (King) with NO side dots = the King rules the WHOLE / ALL of the realm (zen / subete). | 全員 (ぜんいん) — all members, all hands, e... |
| 今 — Now | On: こん Kun: いま |
Roof hat over a clock hand ticking downward (ラ) = RIGHT NOW / PRESENT (ima / kon). | 今 (いま) — now |
| 会 — Meet | On: かい Kun: あ |
Roof hat over 云 (curling cloud) = people gathering under a roof to MEET (au / kai). | 会社 (かいしゃ) — company |
Side-by-Side Illustrated Kanji Flashcards (Tap Readings for Audio)
Compare the custom Shibashi artwork for 金 (Gold) and 全 (All) 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 peaked roof (人) in each character:
1. 金 (Gold) — Mnemonic Story & Readings
On'yomi: きん, こん | Kun'yomi: かね, かな
Shibashi Visual Story: “King’s (きん) gold crown rests in a concrete (こん) enclosure with the calm neighbor (かね), Canada (かな).” Key visual distinction: Roof hat over 王 (King) WITH two sparkling gold nuggets tucked on the sides = GOLD / MONEY / FRIDAY (kane / kin).
- お金 (おかね): money
- 代金 (だいきん): price, payment, cost, charge
- 金 (かね): (1) gold, (2) gold general (shogi) (abbr)
2. 全 (All) — Mnemonic Story & Readings
On'yomi: ぜん | Kun'yomi: すべ
Shibashi Visual Story: “The zen (ぜん) king lives in the mountains and all he eats are super berries (すべ ).” Key visual distinction: Roof hat over 王 (King) with NO side dots = the King rules the WHOLE / ALL of the realm (zen / subete).
- 全員 (ぜんいん): all members, all hands, everyone, everybody, whole crew
- 全て (すべて): everything, all, the whole
3. 今 (Now) — Mnemonic Story & Readings
On'yomi: こん | Kun'yomi: いま
Shibashi Visual Story: “The Lima (いま) times reported that the con-artist (こん) who changed all the clocks to “Now” has finally been caught.” Key visual distinction: Roof hat over a clock hand ticking downward (ラ) = RIGHT NOW / PRESENT (ima / kon).
4. 会 (Meet) — Mnemonic Story & Readings
On'yomi: かい | Kun'yomi: あ
Shibashi Visual Story: “After a long day on kayaks (かい), it’s good to meet and just eat apples (あ).” Key visual distinction: Roof hat over 云 (curling cloud) = people gathering under a roof to MEET (au / kai).
Essential Japanese Vocabulary Words Using 金 / 全 / 今 / 会
Once you can recognize 金 (Gold) and 全 (All) and 今 (Now) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| お金 | おかね | money | JLPT |
| 代金 | だいきん | price, payment, cost, charge | JLPT |
| 金 | かね | (1) gold, (2) gold general (shogi) (abbr) | JLPT |
| 全員 | ぜんいん | all members, all hands, everyone, everybody, whole crew | JLPT |
| 全て | すべて | everything, all, the whole | JLPT |
| 今 | いま | now | JLPT |
| 今月 | こんげつ | this month | JLPT |
| 今度 | こんど | this time, next time | JLPT |
5-Second Memory Summary: How to Never Mix Up 金 & 全 & 今 Again
Roof + 王 (King) with NO dots = 全 (Whole / All — 全部 zenbu). Add 2 sparkling nuggets on the sides of the King = 金 (Gold / Money — okane). Roof + bent clock hand = 今 (Now — ima)!
