Mnemonic
A lone bird perches atop a tree at sunset. Its call rings out, and from every direction more birds streak across the sky to gather on the same branches. Soon every limb sags under hundreds of roosting birds—the tree becomes a living, chirping monument to their nightly ritual of gathering together.
Additional thoughts
Picture the classic image of a flock converging on a single tree at dusk—the bird on top of the tree is literally how the kanji 集 is structured (隹 over 木). The overwhelming number of birds makes the gathering unmistakable.Quick recall
Hundreds of birds swoop in to gather on a single tree at dusk.Details
The keyword for 集 is gather. This kanji conveys the idea of collecting, assembling, or bringing things together into one place. It can refer to people congregating, objects being compiled, or information being accumulated. The sense is one of many individual elements converging or being drawn toward a central point.
- On'yomi
- しゅう
- Kun'yomi
- あつ.まる、あつ.める、つど.う