KanjiJLPT N1
Hot (Weather)

sultry, hot, summer heat

Mnemonic

The sun is mercilessly beating down on a scholar who insists on studying outdoors. His books warp, his ink melts, sweat pools on every page — this is the most Hot (Weather) day he has ever endured. The scholar vows to stay inside until autumn.
Additional thoughts
Picture the sun directly above a robed scholar whose scrolls are curling from the heat. The kanji literally stacks sun on top of scholar — heat pressing down on him.
Quick recall
The sun crushes a scholar under sweltering Hot (Weather).

Details

The keyword for 暑 is hot (weather). This kanji specifically refers to the sensation of heat caused by warm weather or high atmospheric temperatures, as opposed to the heat of an object or a spicy flavor. It describes the sweltering conditions typically experienced during summer months. When Japanese speakers talk about the weather being unbearably warm, this is the character they use.
On'yomi
しょ
Kun'yomi
あつ.い

Used in vocab