峠
Mnemonic
On a mountain, you hike above the clouds, lungs burning, legs screaming. Then suddenly the trail tips below — relief washes over you. You've conquered the Mountain Pass, that single breathless point where above becomes below on a mountain.
Additional thoughts
The kanji literally stacks mountain + above + below. Picture yourself at the crest: everything behind you was up, everything ahead is down. That tipping point IS the pass.Quick recall
A mountain path goes above then turns below — that crest is the Mountain Pass.Details
The keyword for 峠 is mountain pass. This kanji represents the point where a road reaches its highest elevation while crossing over a mountain, after which it begins to descend on the other side. By extension, it can also refer to a peak or climax of any situation, such as the critical turning point of an illness or a difficult period. This is a kanji of Japanese origin (国字), uniquely combining the concepts of mountain, ascent, and descent into a single character.
- Kun'yomi
- とうげ