Kanji for Hand: 手 (Te or Ta)

The Japanese kanji for “hand” is 手 (learn as “te”). This kanji is pronounced “te” or “ta” in its kun’yomi studying and “shu” in its on’yomi studying.

Different meanings of 手:

Whereas the first that means of 手 is “hand,” additionally it is utilized in numerous compound phrases and phrases to point issues associated to palms or, extra abstractly, to counsel private involvement or effort. For example:

• 手紙 (tegami): Letter (as in a bit of correspondence)
• 手間 (tema): Effort and time invested in an exercise.
• 手伝う (tedazukau): To assist; to help

Moreover, in some compounds, 手 is likely to be used to discuss with means, technique or measure, like in 手段 (shudan).

In trendy Japanese, 手 is seen in on a regular basis phrases and phrases. For example, 手前 (temae) means “in entrance” or “this aspect,” however it might probably additionally suggest one thing nearer to oneself.

Origin of the Kanji 手 (te or ta) for Hand

The traditional types of this character depicted a hand, generally together with a part of the arm. Over time, the depiction grew to become extra stylized, evolving into the trendy character. In essence, its origin is sort of easy, representing the item it describes.

Like many kanji, 手 has its roots in historic Chinese language pictographs. In its earliest types, this character resembled an precise hand, together with a part of the arm and the palm. Over millennia, this illustration has advanced, simplifying and changing into extra summary, resulting in the character we acknowledge immediately.

Easy methods to Keep in mind the Hand’s Kanji 手

One of the simplest ways to recollect the Kanji is the above-explained origin of the form of 手.

Some folks might increase the query that the form doesn’t resemble a palm with fingers. Nonetheless, please do not forget that although Kanji characters are pictograms of the objects they characterize, they’re simplified in such a manner that anybody can write them.

The next illustration will function a mnemonic to recollect the Japji of hand, in addition to to clarify the evolution of the form of this Kanji:

Cultural Significance:

Fingers have at all times held deep cultural and religious significance in lots of cultures, together with Japanese. They symbolize human company, functionality, and interplay. That is evident within the huge array of idiomatic expressions within the Japanese language that function the kanji for hand, reflecting numerous elements of life, from relationships to work and craft.

Kanji 手 of Hand as a Radical

The Kanji for hand additionally serves as a Kanji radical, that means it seems as a element in different Kanji characters, generally known as the “hand radical.

Please be aware that the hand radical “手” additionally has a form variant within the type of 扌. As a radical, it typically imparts meanings associated to “hand” or actions performed by hand.

For instance, 持 (mochi, that means “to carry”) has the hand radical on the left aspect, indicating a hand-related motion. Prime of Type

Following are some examples of Kanji characters with the novel of the Kanji of hand, i.e., 手 and 扌:

• 持 (mochi): To carry or possess.
• 打 (utsu): To hit or strike.
• 推 (osu): To push or suggest.
• 挙 (agaru): TTo increase or elevate.
• 捕 (toru): To catch or seize.
• 描 (egaku): To attract or describe.
• 携 (motsu): To hold (in hand).
• 投 (tou): To throw or forged.
• 指 (yubi): Finger or to level.
• 探 (sagasu): To go looking or search for.
• 捨 (suteru): To throw away or discard.
• 握 (nigiru): To know or grip.
• 操作 (sousa): Operation or manipulation.
• 摘 (tsumu): To choose or pluck.
• 提 (tei): To suggest or counsel.

These examples present that many kanji with the hand radical pertain to actions performed with the palms or relate to ideas related to palms in a roundabout way.

Compound Phrases (Kanji) Utilizing 手

The Kanji for the hand very often seems in kanjis of compounded Japanese phrases. Listed here are some compounded phrases utilizing the kanji for “huge” (手):

1. 手紙 (tegami): Letter (as in a bit of correspondence).
2. 手術 (shujutsu): Surgical procedure.
3. 手段 (shudan): Means or technique.
4. 手話 (shuwa): Signal language.
5. 手帳 (techou): Pocket book or planner.
6. 手続き (tetsuzuki): Process or course of.
7. 手元 (temoto): At hand or close by.
8. 手足 (teashi): Fingers and ft.
9. 手前 (temae): In entrance of oneself, or generally used to imply “you” in a extra impolite or colloquial method.
10. 手首 (tekubi): Wrist.
11. 手助け (tedasuke): Assist or help.
12. 手品 (tejina): Sleight of hand, magic trick.
13. 手間 (tema): Effort and time, hassle.
14. 手頃 (tegoro): Reasonably priced, affordable.
15. 手荷物 (tenimotsu): Hand baggage or baggage.

Verify different Kanji characters on the web page “Easy methods to Be taught Kanji“.

A protracted-term ex-pat in Japan, Himanshu comes with an IT background in SAP consulting, IT Enterprise Growth, after which working the nation operations of an IT consulting multinational. Himanshu is the co-founder and Managing Director of ReachExt Okay.Okay. and EJable.com. He’s additionally an Advisory Board Member of a Silicon Valley AI/IoT startup.