別
KanjiJLPT N4
Separate
separate, branch off, diverge, fork, another, extra, specially
Mnemonic
A mouth shouts a command to ten thousand troops: a knife will separate you! The knife falls, cleaving the army in two. Half march east, half march west—ten thousand mouths cry out as they part forever.
Additional thoughts
Visualize a general's mouth booming across a field of ten thousand soldiers, then a colossal knife dropping from the sky and splitting the formation clean in half. The dramatic, irreversible split locks in Separate.Quick recall
A mouth commands ten thousand troops before a knife Separates them forever.Details
The keyword for 別 is separate. This kanji conveys the idea of dividing, parting, or distinguishing one thing from another. It encompasses meanings such as farewell, distinction, and differentiation, reflecting both physical separation between people or things and the conceptual act of classifying or telling things apart. It is commonly used in contexts involving departure, difference, or categorization.
- On'yomi
- べつ
- Kun'yomi
- わか.れる、わ.ける