Mnemonic
Under the blazing sun, two ancient grandmothers compare the sheer number of their descendants. Each one boasts of children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren spreading across the land like swarms of insects — so many descendants they blot out the sun itself!
Additional thoughts
Sun on top, Compare on the bottom — picture two old women sitting under the sun, comparing family trees that branch endlessly. The insect connection (昆虫) reinforces the image of countless, swarming offspring.Quick recall
Grandmothers under the sun compare their swarming descendants.Details
The keyword for 昆 is descendants. This kanji refers to offspring, progeny, or those who come after in a family lineage. It carries the sense of a multitude of beings that follow from a common origin, evoking the image of successive generations spreading outward. The character is also associated with the idea of insects (as in 昆虫), perhaps because insects were seen as countless creatures swarming together like innumerable descendants.
- On'yomi
- こん