Side-by-Side Comparison: 寺 vs. 時 vs. 待 vs. 持 vs. 特
Every kanji below contains the Temple (寺) component. Bold readings indicate the primary WaniKani reading:
| Kanji & Meaning | Readings (Bold = Primary) | Shibashi Visual Mnemonic Story | Top Compound Word |
|---|---|---|---|
| 寺 (Temple) | ON: じ KUN: てら |
If Jesus is ringing a bell on a terrace , it must be a temple. | 寺 (てら) — temple |
| 時 (Time) | ON: じ KUN: とき |
In the old Toki-o Jesus rang the church bell so you could tell the time... | 時代 (じだい) — era |
| 待 (Wait) | ON: たい KUN: ま |
Long wait times for the bell tower slide. Moms surely did not approve this... | 待つ (まつ) — to wait |
| 持 (Hold, Carry) | ON: じ KUN: も |
Sometimes God intervenes with Jesus work, and holds for a moment the time-bell. | 持つ (もつ) — to hold |
| 特 (Special) | ON: とく KUN: — |
At 6pm, the special cow that can talk-u announces the end of the day. | 特に (とくに) — particularly, especially |
How Each Kanji Uses the Temple (寺) Visual Motif
1. 寺 (Temple) — Temple Radical (寺) in Context
On’yomi: じ | Kun’yomi: てら
Shibashi Visual Story: “If Jesus is ringing a bell on a terrace , it must be a temple.”
- 寺 (てら): temple
2. 時 (Time) — Temple Radical (寺) in Context
On’yomi: じ | Kun’yomi: とき
Shibashi Visual Story: “In the old Toki-o Jesus rang the church bell so you could tell the time...”
3. 待 (Wait) — Temple Radical (寺) in Context
On’yomi: たい | Kun’yomi: ま
Shibashi Visual Story: “Long wait times for the bell tower slide. Moms surely did not approve this...”
4. 持 (Hold, Carry) — Temple Radical (寺) in Context
On’yomi: じ | Kun’yomi: も
Shibashi Visual Story: “Sometimes God intervenes with Jesus work, and holds for a moment the time-bell.”
- 持つ (もつ): to hold
- 気持ち (きもち): feeling, mood
- 持ち上げる (もちあげる): to raise, to lift up, to flatter
5. 特 (Special) — Temple Radical (寺) in Context
On’yomi: とく | Kun’yomi: —
Shibashi Visual Story: “At 6pm, the special cow that can talk-u announces the end of the day.”
- 特に (とくに): particularly, especially
Essential Japanese Vocabulary Words Built from the Temple (寺) Family
Once you can recognize 寺 (Temple), 時 (Time), 待 (Wait), 持 (Hold), 特 (Special) by their shared Temple (寺) visual motif, practice reading them inside these high-frequency Japanese words from the Shibashi app:
| Japanese Word | Hiragana Reading | English Meaning | JLPT Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 寺 | てら | temple | JLPT |
| 時代 | じだい | era | JLPT |
| 時 | とき | (1) time, hour, (2) occasion, moment | JLPT |
| 時期 | じき | time, season, period | JLPT |
| 待つ | まつ | to wait | JLPT |
| 期待 | きたい | expectation, anticipation, hope | JLPT |
| 持つ | もつ | to hold | JLPT |
| 気持ち | きもち | feeling, mood | JLPT |
| 持ち上げる | もちあげる | to raise, to lift up, to flatter | JLPT |
| 特に | とくに | particularly, especially | JLPT |