KanjiJLPT N3
Miscellaneous

Mnemonic

A bird nests in a tree, hoarding nine random objects — string, foil, buttons — a true miscellaneous mess. The bird never sorts anything; it just crams nine odds and ends into every tree branch, creating a crude, sloppy jumble.
Additional thoughts
Picture a crow's chaotic nest in a tall tree, overflowing with nine unrelated trinkets — nature's own junk drawer. The roughness and disorder perfectly capture the miscellaneous feeling.
Quick recall
A bird in a tree hoards nine random things in one miscellaneous nest.

Details

The keyword for 雑 is miscellaneous. This kanji conveys the idea of things being mixed together without clear order or classification, resulting in a jumbled or varied assortment. It carries connotations of roughness, coarseness, or lack of refinement, as something that is a hodgepodge rather than carefully sorted. By extension, it can describe anything crude, sloppy, or carelessly done, as well as a general catch-all category for diverse, unrelated items grouped together.
On'yomi
ざつ、ぞう
Kun'yomi
まじ.える、まじ.る