Side-by-Side Comparison: 具 vs. 真 vs. 直
Every kanji below contains the TV (具) component. Bold readings indicate the primary WaniKani reading:
| Kanji & Meaning | Readings (Bold = Primary) | Shibashi Visual Mnemonic Story | Top Compound Word |
|---|---|---|---|
| 具 (Tool) | ON: ぐ KUN: — |
You need a good tool to attach an antenna to the tv... | 具体 (ぐたい) — concreteness, embodiment |
| 真 (Truth, Reality) | ON: しん KUN: ま |
Maa wants her son to learn the truth about Shinto Religion. | 写真 (しゃしん) — photograph, photo, picture, photography |
| 直 (Straight) | ON: ちょく, じき KUN: なお |
With a tragic kick the cabinet is now super broken, and tv straight on the floor. Let's eat an artichok(u) and keep watching... | 直す (なおす) — to fix, to repair |
How Each Kanji Uses the TV (具) Visual Motif
1. 具 (Tool) — TV Radical (具) in Context
On’yomi: ぐ | Kun’yomi: —
Shibashi Visual Story: “You need a good tool to attach an antenna to the tv...”
- 具体 (ぐたい): concreteness, embodiment
2. 真 (Truth, Reality) — TV Radical (具) in Context
On’yomi: しん | Kun’yomi: ま
Shibashi Visual Story: “Maa wants her son to learn the truth about Shinto Religion.”
- 写真 (しゃしん): photograph, photo, picture, photography
- 真っ直ぐ (まっすぐ): straight (ahead), direct, upright
- 真ん中 (まんなか): middle; centre; mid-way
- 真っ赤 (まっか): bright red, deep red, flushed (of face)
3. 直 (Straight) — TV Radical (具) in Context
On’yomi: ちょく, じき | Kun’yomi: なお
Shibashi Visual Story: “With a tragic kick the cabinet is now super broken, and tv straight on the floor. Let's eat an artichok(u) and keep watching...”
- 直す (なおす): to fix, to repair
- 直 (じき): earnestly, immediately, exactly
- もう直ぐ (もうすぐ): soon, shortly, before long, nearly, almost
- 直ぐに (すぐに): immediately, right away, at once, instantly
Essential Japanese Vocabulary Words Built from the TV (具) Family
Once you can recognize 具 (Tool), 真 (Truth), 直 (Straight) by their shared TV (具) visual motif, practice reading them inside these high-frequency Japanese words from the Shibashi app:
| Japanese Word | Hiragana Reading | English Meaning | JLPT Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 具体 | ぐたい | concreteness, embodiment | JLPT |
| 写真 | しゃしん | photograph, photo, picture, photography | JLPT |
| 真っ直ぐ | まっすぐ | straight (ahead), direct, upright | JLPT |
| 真ん中 | まんなか | middle; centre; mid-way | JLPT |
| 真っ赤 | まっか | bright red, deep red, flushed (of face) | JLPT |
| 直す | なおす | to fix, to repair | JLPT |
| 直 | じき | earnestly, immediately, exactly | JLPT |
| もう直ぐ | もうすぐ | soon, shortly, before long, nearly, almost | JLPT |
| 直ぐに | すぐに | immediately, right away, at once, instantly | JLPT |