Side-by-Side Comparison: 斤 vs. 新 vs. 近 vs. 所
Every kanji below contains the Ax (斤) component. Bold readings indicate the primary WaniKani reading:
| Kanji & Meaning | Readings (Bold = Primary) | Shibashi Visual Mnemonic Story | Top Compound Word |
|---|---|---|---|
| 斤 (Axe) | ON: きん KUN: — |
Say hello to the axe king ... | 一斤 (いっきん) — one loaf of bread; 1 kin (approx. 600g) |
| 新 (New) | ON: しん KUN: あたら, あら |
The arabic tree is thinking of a new life as a podium for artsy talented rabbis in Wa-shington ... | 新聞 (しんぶん) — newspaper |
| 近 (Close, Near) | ON: きん, こん KUN: ちか |
If you get into a conflict with the cheeky ax king on a scooter, your end may be near... | 近く (ちかく) — near |
| 所 (Place) | ON: しょ KUN: ところ |
Mr Ax. is visiting every place, showing his talking robot invention... | 場所 (ばしょ) — place, location, spot, position, area |
How Each Kanji Uses the Ax (斤) Visual Motif
1. 斤 (Axe) — Ax Radical (斤) in Context
On’yomi: きん | Kun’yomi: —
Shibashi Visual Story: “Say hello to the axe king ...”
- 一斤 (いっきん): one loaf of bread; 1 kin (approx. 600g)
2. 新 (New) — Ax Radical (斤) in Context
On’yomi: しん | Kun’yomi: あたら, あら
Shibashi Visual Story: “The arabic tree is thinking of a new life as a podium for artsy talented rabbis in Wa-shington ...”
- 新聞 (しんぶん): newspaper
- 新しい (あたらしい): new
- 新た (あらた): new, fresh, novel
- 新婚 (しんこん): newly married, newlyweds
3. 近 (Close, Near) — Ax Radical (斤) in Context
On’yomi: きん, こん | Kun’yomi: ちか
Shibashi Visual Story: “If you get into a conflict with the cheeky ax king on a scooter, your end may be near...”
4. 所 (Place) — Ax Radical (斤) in Context
On’yomi: しょ | Kun’yomi: ところ
Shibashi Visual Story: “Mr Ax. is visiting every place, showing his talking robot invention...”
Essential Japanese Vocabulary Words Built from the Ax (斤) Family
Once you can recognize 斤 (Axe), 新 (New), 近 (Close), 所 (Place) by their shared Ax (斤) visual motif, practice reading them inside these high-frequency Japanese words from the Shibashi app:
| Japanese Word | Hiragana Reading | English Meaning | JLPT Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 一斤 | いっきん | one loaf of bread; 1 kin (approx. 600g) | JLPT |
| 新聞 | しんぶん | newspaper | JLPT |
| 新しい | あたらしい | new | JLPT |
| 新た | あらた | new, fresh, novel | JLPT |
| 新婚 | しんこん | newly married, newlyweds | JLPT |
| 近く | ちかく | near | JLPT |
| 近い | ちかい | near | JLPT |
| 近所 | きんじょ | neighbourhood | JLPT |
| 最近 | さいきん | latest, nowadays | JLPT |
| 場所 | ばしょ | place, location, spot, position, area | JLPT |