Mnemonic
A comet blazes overhead at noon, but the midday sun is so fierce it scorches the comet dry. Its icy tail evaporates instantly — noon heat is the only force that can dry out a comet!
Additional thoughts
Picture the sun at its zenith drying out a comet's tail. The vertical stroke of the kanji looks like a comet plunging through the dry horizontal lines of midday heat.Quick recall
A comet at noon is scorched dry by the blazing midday sun.Details
The keyword for 午 is noon. This kanji refers to the midday hour, the point when the sun is at its highest in the sky. In the traditional Chinese timekeeping system, 午 designated the two-hour period centered around 12:00 midday. It is also the seventh of the twelve Earthly Branches and is associated with the horse in the Chinese zodiac.
- On'yomi
- ご
- Kun'yomi
- うま