甲
KanjiJLPT N1
Armor
armor, high (voice), A grade, first class, former, instep, carapace
Mnemonic
Pictograph of a shield of armor.
Details
The keyword for 甲 is armor. This kanji originally depicted a suit of protective covering worn in battle, resembling a shell or hard outer casing. By extension, it came to signify anything that ranks first or is of the highest grade, much like the top-tier protection that armor provides. It is also used as the first in a traditional ordering system (similar to "A" in English), and can refer to the shell of a turtle or the back of the hand.
- On'yomi
- こう、かん
- Kun'yomi
- きのえ