Mnemonic
A heron wading in a misty lake spots a phoenix descending from the heavens in a swirl of golden fire. Where the phoenix's flames touch the water, a magnificent crane emerges — possessing the heron's sleek poise and the phoenix's gift of thousand-year longevity.
Additional thoughts
The heron provides the wading-bird body plan, while the phoenix bestows mythic longevity — cranes are Japan's iconic symbols of long life. Picture the crane rising from steam where fire meets water.Quick recall
A heron merges with a phoenix to produce the immortal crane.Details
The keyword for 鶴 is crane. This kanji refers to the crane bird, a large, elegant, long-necked wading bird revered in East Asian cultures as a symbol of longevity, good fortune, and fidelity. In Japan, the crane holds particular cultural significance, appearing in art, folklore, and the tradition of folding a thousand origami cranes (*senbazuru*) as a wish for healing or peace. The character specifically denotes birds of the family Gruidae, distinguished by their graceful appearance and famous courtship dances.
- On'yomi
- かく
- Kun'yomi
- つる