Mnemonic
A few cyclopean bureaucrats, each with a single glowing eye, run the Ministry / Examine. Their few unblinking eyes examine every expense report with ruthless precision. Nothing escapes that eye — wasteful spending is slashed on sight.
Additional thoughts
Picture a dim government office staffed by only a few one-eyed giants peering at paperwork. Few + eye = a ministry that examines and cuts. Fewer eyes means sharper scrutiny.Quick recall
A few giant eyes staff the Ministry / Examine, scrutinizing and slashing all waste.Details
The keyword for 省 is ministry / examine. This kanji carries two distinct but historically related meanings. In one sense, it refers to a ministry or department of government, as in the administrative divisions of a national government. In its other sense, it means to examine or reflect upon oneself, to look inward with careful scrutiny, and by extension it also carries the meaning of omitting or saving, as when one examines something and finds parts that can be reduced or eliminated.
- On'yomi
- せい、しょう
- Kun'yomi
- かえり.みる、はぶ.く