机
Mnemonic
A carpenter finds the perfect tree, fells it, and drags the timber to his workbench. There he planes, sands, and joins the wood until a gorgeous desk takes shape — smooth-topped and sturdy, ready for a scholar to sit at and write for years to come.
Additional thoughts
Picture the raw tree trunk being transformed step by step on the workbench: sawing, planing, sanding — until the flat, polished surface of a desk appears. Tree provides the material, workbench provides the place of crafting, desk is the finished product.Quick recall
A tree is shaped on a workbench into a scholar's desk.Details
The keyword for 机 is desk. This kanji refers to a piece of furniture used for reading, writing, or working — a table or desk. It has been used since ancient times to denote the kind of flat-surfaced furniture one sits at to perform tasks, particularly in scholarly or official settings. In modern Japanese, it most commonly appears in the word 机 (つくえ), referring to a standard desk or table used in homes, schools, and offices.
- On'yomi
- き
- Kun'yomi
- つくえ