Kanji 16

Front 1

style

Back 1

Take style in its sense of some fashion design or model. Then
let the element arrow and craft stand for the well-known style
of shirts known as “Arrow shirts” because of the little arrow
sewn on each one

Front 2

test

Back 2

When a manufacturer produces a new style for the market, the
³rst thing that is done is to run a test on consumers, asking
them to speak their opinions frankly about the product. Never
mind the anachronism (the kanji was there well before our
capitalistic market system) if it helps you remember

Front 3

quiver

Back 3

This primitive is easy to remember as depicting something
used to bring all one’s arrows together into one handy place:
the quiver

Front 4

II(two)

Back 4

We use the Roman numeral ii here to stress that this kanji is an
older form of the kanji for two. Think of two arrows in a quiver,
standing up like the numeral ii.

Front 5

range

Back 5

From its original meaning of a de³ned area or zone, a range
has also come to meana grazing land where cowboys roam and
do whatever it is they do with cows. When the herds have all
been driven to market, there is a great homecoming ³esta like
that pictured here. As soon as the cowboys come home, home
on the range, the ³rst thing they do is kiss the ground (the
mouth on the μoor), and then get on with the ³esta.

Front 6

burglar

Back 6

From a burglar’s point of view, a ³esta is an occasion to take
out the old lockpicking needle and break into the unattended
safe ³lled with the family shells

Front 7

plantation

Back 7

On a fruit plantation it is the trees that one is particularly grateful
for at the time of Thanksgiving. Imagine yourself inviting a
few representative trees from the ³elds and orchards to join
you around the table to give thanks

Front 8

load

Back 8

One loads bales on a wagon or cart in preparation for the great
Hay Ride that follows the Thanksgiving dinner each year

Front 9

overgrown

Back 9

The sense of the key word overgrown is of something growing
luxuriously, though not necessarily in excess—in this case a
whole parade of weeds (outcaste μowers). By way of exception,
the μowers take their normal place over the enclosure

Front 10

turn into

Back 10

Let the phrase “turn into” suggest some sort of a magical
change. What happens here is that the parade marching down
main street turns into a dagger-throwing bout between competing
bands. Note how only one stroke has to be added to
make the change

Front 11

castle

Back 11

In this frame, we see a mound of dirt that is being turned into
a castle (the way you may have done as a child playing on the
beach

Front 12

*arrow

Back 12

Front 13

*fiesta

Back 13

Front 14

*thanksgiving

Back 14

Front 15

*parade

Back 15

Front 16

sincerity

Back 16

The sure sign of sincerity is that one’s mere words are turned
into deeds

Front 17

*march

Back 17

Front 18

intimidate

Back 18

Here we see a march of women demonstrating on behalf of
equal rights, something extremely intimidating to the male
chauvinist population

Front 19

destroy

Back 19

Picture a march of μames demonstrating against the Fire Department
for their right to destroy, but being doused with water by
the police riot squads

Front 20

dwindle

Back 20

A group of unquenchable mouths sets out on a march across
the country, drinking water wherever they ³nd it until the
water supply has dwindled to a trickle, triggering a national
disaster.

Front 21

*float

Back 21

Front 22

scaffold

Back 22

Prior to the use of metal, trees were once cut down and bound
together for use as scaffolding material. In the case of this
kanji, what is being constructed is not a skyscraper but a simple
μoat

Front 23

coin

Back 23

Those special gold-colored tokens minted each year for the
Mardi Gras and thrown into the crowds from people on the
μoats give us the kanji for coins

Front 24

shallow

Back 24

An entourage of μoats going from one town to the next must
always seek a shallow place to cross the water. Try to picture
what happens if they don’t