根
Mnemonic
A tree in the middle of the pitch trips a footballer during a match. He slams into the dirt, claws at the soil, and rips up a massive root—thick, ancient, stubborn. He holds the root overhead like a trophy, proof of what lurked beneath the surface all along.
Additional thoughts
Visualize the footballer face-down in the mud, yanking out a gnarly root from under the tree. The root is the hidden foundation that tripped him—impossible to ignore once exposed. The trophy pose makes it stick.Quick recall
A footballer trips over a tree's buried root and rips it from the earth like a trophy.Details
The keyword for 根 is root. This kanji refers to the root of a plant or tree, the part that grows underground and anchors it in the soil. By extension, it also conveys the idea of a foundation, basis, or origin of something, as well as one's fundamental nature or disposition. It can also suggest persistence or tenacity, as in having deep roots that are difficult to pull out.
- On'yomi
- こん
- Kun'yomi
- ね、-ね