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方 (Direction) vs 万 (10,000) vs 刀 (Sword) vs 力 (Power)

All four share the exact same curved bottom-right hook! Two tiny strokes at the top decide whether it's Direction, 10,000, Sword, or Power.

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方
Direction top compass dot = Direction
万
Ten Thousand flat ceiling bar, no dot, no poke-through = 10,000
刀
Sword curved katana blade, no poke-through = Sword
力
Power center stroke pokes UP through top bar = Power
top compass dot = Direction
方 DIRECTION
ON ほう
KUN かた
Japanese Kanji Mnemonic for 方 (Direction) — Shibashi Visual Kanji Mnemonics Flashcard

To avoid a catastrophe (かた), even at home (ほう), someone is always helping grandma. She just points the direction.

flat ceiling bar, no dot, no poke-through = 10,000
万 TEN THOUSAND
ON まん, ばん
Japanese Kanji Mnemonic for 万 (Ten Thousand) — Shibashi Visual Kanji Mnemonics Flashcard

Ten Thousand people in Italy, watching a talented man (まん) wearing a pineapple-pizza costume. Let’s hope he doesn’t get banned (ばん)...

curved katana blade, no poke-through = Sword
刀 SWORD
ON とう
KUN かたな
Japanese Kanji Mnemonic for 刀 (Sword) — Shibashi Visual Kanji Mnemonics Flashcard

Why use a knife when you can cut your toast (とう) with a katana (かたな) sword...

center stroke pokes UP through top bar = Power
力 POWER
ON りょく, りき
Japanese Kanji Mnemonic for 力 (Power) — Shibashi Visual Kanji Mnemonics Flashcard

Rio’s cool (りょく), but shooting your power-ful bow there may be tricky (りき)...

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