Mnemonic
Deep inside a tunnel, one glowing red vein of cinnabar catches your eye. You chip at the bright mineral and a drop of liquid mercury beads on the surface, shimmering scarlet — proof this cinnabar is genuine. One pure drop from one ancient tunnel.
Additional thoughts
Picture the tunnel's dark walls contrasting with the vivid red cinnabar streak. The single drop of mercury reminds you cinnabar is mercury sulfide. The 'one' line bisects the tunnel shape of the kanji, with the drop sitting inside.Quick recall
Inside a tunnel, one vein of cinnabar weeps a scarlet drop of mercury.Details
The keyword for 丹 is cinnabar. This kanji refers to cinnabar, a bright red mineral (mercury sulfide) that has been prized since ancient times as a pigment and in alchemical practices, particularly in China and Japan. By extension, it can convey the meaning of red or scarlet, and it is also associated with sincerity and devotion, as the color red was symbolically linked to the heart and truthfulness.
- On'yomi
- たん
- Kun'yomi
- に