SIDE-BY-SIDE KANJI MNEMONICS

日 (Day) vs 目 (Eye) vs 白 (White) vs 百 (Hundred) vs 自 (Self)

Box-shaped N5 kanjis are the #1 source of early reading mistakes. A single stroke at the top changes everything.

5-Second Radical Distinction Rule: 日 (1 inner bar = Day/Sun) • 目 (2 inner bars = Eye) • 白 (sun with a ray on top = White) • 百 (one 一 on top of white = Hundred) • 自 (eye with a nose ridge on top = Self).

ON にち, じつ

KUN ひ, か, び

Japanese Kanji Mnemonic for 日 (Sun, Day) — Shibashi Visual Kanji Mnemonics Flashcard

In a bright sun beam (び), Mr. Hiroki (ひ) can finally see why his “knee is itchy” (にち)! Must be from all the karate (か) and jiu-jitsu (じつ)!

ON もく

KUN め

Japanese Kanji Mnemonic for 目 (Eye) — Shibashi Visual Kanji Mnemonics Flashcard

“Mee (め) eh?” Is this cute-eyed sheep mocking (もく) us?

ON はく

KUN しろ

Japanese Kanji Mnemonic for 白 (White) — Shibashi Visual Kanji Mnemonics Flashcard

She wrote (しろ) the code to hack-u (はく) the white radish server.

ON ひゃく

KUN もも

Japanese Kanji Mnemonic for 百 (Hundred) — Shibashi Visual Kanji Mnemonics Flashcard

Slow-mo motion (もも) Hyacinth Cool (ひゃく) Town is now a hundred years old!!

ON じ, し

Japanese Kanji Mnemonic for 自 (Self) — Shibashi Visual Kanji Mnemonics Flashcard

Just Jesus (じ) with his friend Shitake (し) in a self-driving car...