児
Mnemonic
In old times, before modern hospitals, a Newborn Babe announced its arrival by kicking tiny legs into the air. Those wobbly legs thrashing wildly—the universal first act of every infant since old times, living proof that new life has entered the world.
Additional thoughts
Visualize an ancient birthing scene: the baby emerges and immediately kicks its little legs. The kanji literally stacks the old times radical on top of the legs radical, like a baby born out of the past, standing on new legs.Quick recall
Since old times, every Newborn Babe kicks its legs to greet the world.Details
The keyword for 児 is newborn babe. This kanji refers to a very young child or infant, capturing the image of a small, helpless baby in its earliest stage of life. It is used broadly to denote children in general, but its core meaning emphasizes the vulnerability and freshness of a newly born child. In many compounds, it carries the sense of youth, infancy, and the care associated with raising young ones.
- On'yomi
- じ、に、げい
- Kun'yomi
- こ、-こ、-っこ