影
Mnemonic
The scenery at golden hour is breathtaking—until someone with an absurdly towering hairstyle steps right between you and the sun. Instantly a massive shadow swallows the view. All you see now is the dark silhouette of that ridiculous hair blotting out every last ray of light.
Additional thoughts
Picture a glorious sunset landscape ruined by a person's giant beehive hairdo creating a comically enormous silhouette. The bigger the hairstyle, the bigger the shadow—link the exaggeration to remember both radicals.Quick recall
A gorgeous scenery is eclipsed when a ludicrous hairstyle blocks the sun, casting a colossal shadow.Details
The keyword for 影 is shadow. This kanji refers to a shadow, silhouette, or reflection—essentially the dark shape cast by an object when light is blocked, or a figure's outline. It can also extend to mean an image, a trace, or even a phantom-like presence. The concept encompasses both literal shadows cast by light and more figurative uses suggesting something dim, hidden, or indirectly perceived.
- On'yomi
- えい
- Kun'yomi
- かげ