Side-by-Side Comparison: 重 vs. 動
Every kanji below contains the Moving (重) component. Bold readings indicate the primary WaniKani reading:
| Kanji & Meaning | Readings (Bold = Primary) | Shibashi Visual Mnemonic Story | Top Compound Word |
|---|---|---|---|
| 重 (Heavy) | ON: じゅう, ちょう KUN: おも, え |
Two men at peak effort , carrying a heavy box of open, modern chocolate jewels . | 重い (おもい) — heavy |
| 動 (Move) | ON: どう KUN: うご |
To move a heavy box of dough through an oolong-tea gorge , you need powerful protection... | 動物 (どうぶつ) — animal |
How Each Kanji Uses the Moving (重) Visual Motif
1. 重 (Heavy) — Moving Radical (重) in Context
On’yomi: じゅう, ちょう | Kun’yomi: おも, え
Shibashi Visual Story: “Two men at peak effort , carrying a heavy box of open, modern chocolate jewels .”
- 重い (おもい): heavy
- 重大 (じゅうだい): serious, important, grave, weighty
2. 動 (Move) — Moving Radical (重) in Context
On’yomi: どう | Kun’yomi: うご
Shibashi Visual Story: “To move a heavy box of dough through an oolong-tea gorge , you need powerful protection...”
- 動物 (どうぶつ): animal
- 自動車 (じどうしゃ): automobile
- 動く (うごく): to move
- 動物園 (どうぶつえん): zoo
Essential Japanese Vocabulary Words Built from the Moving (重) Family
Once you can recognize 重 (Heavy), 動 (Move) by their shared Moving (重) visual motif, practice reading them inside these high-frequency Japanese words from the Shibashi app:
| Japanese Word | Hiragana Reading | English Meaning | JLPT Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 重い | おもい | heavy | JLPT |
| 重大 | じゅうだい | serious, important, grave, weighty | JLPT |
| 動物 | どうぶつ | animal | JLPT |
| 自動車 | じどうしゃ | automobile | JLPT |
| 動く | うごく | to move | JLPT |
| 動物園 | どうぶつえん | zoo | JLPT |