The origins of kanji began with observing nature. 日 (sun), 月 (moon), 山 (mountain), 水 (water) — the earliest kanji were drawings of the natural world.
This article takes you from sky to ground, teaching 20 kanji for celestial and terrestrial features.
Core Kanji Table
Sky & Celestial
| Kanji | On'yomi | Kun'yomi | Meaning | Common Words | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 天 | テン (ten) | あめ (ame)・あま (ama) | heaven, sky | 天気 (てんき, weather), 天国 (てんごく, heaven) | 天気 = weather |
| 空 | クウ (kū) | そら (sora)・から (kara) | sky / empty | 空 (そら, sky), 空港 (くうこう, airport) | sky AND empty |
| 日 | ニチ (nichi)・ジツ (jitsu) | ひ (hi)・か (ka) | sun / day | 日本 (にほん, Japan), 毎日 (まいにち, every day) | Pictograph: circle of the sun |
| 月 | ゲツ (getsu)・ガツ (gatsu) | つき (tsuki) | moon / month | 月 (つき, moon), 月曜日 (げつようび, Monday) | Pictograph: crescent moon |
| 星 | セイ (sei)・ショウ (shō) | ほし (hoshi) | star | 星 (ほし, star), 惑星 (わくせい, planet) | 惑星 = planet |
| 光 | コウ (kō) | ひかり (hikari) | light | 光 (ひかり, light), 日光 (にっこう, sunlight) | 日光 = also a place name! |
| 影 | エイ (ei) | かげ (kage) | shadow | 影 (かげ, shadow), 影響 (えいきょう, influence) | 影響 = influence (shadow + echo) |
| 虹 | コウ (kō) | にじ (niji) | rainbow | 虹 (にじ, rainbow), 虹色 (にじいろ, rainbow-colored) | Has 虫 radical — ancients saw rainbows as dragons |
| 雷 | ライ (rai) | かみなり (kaminari) | thunder | 雷 (かみなり, thunder), 雷雨 (らいう, thunderstorm) | かみなり = 神鳴 (voice of the gods) |
| 煙 | エン (en) | けむり (kemuri) | smoke | 煙 (けむり, smoke), 煙突 (えんとつ, chimney) | 煙突 = chimney |
Earth & Terrain
| Kanji | On'yomi | Kun'yomi | Meaning | Common Words | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 地 | チ (chi)・ジ (ji) | — | earth, ground | 地球 (ちきゅう, Earth), 地震 (じしん, earthquake) | Earthquake nation Japan |
| 土 | ド (do)・ト (to) | つち (tsuchi) | soil | 土地 (とち, land), 土曜日 (どようび, Saturday) | Saturday = "soil day" |
| 石 | セキ (seki)・シャク (shaku) | いし (ishi) | stone | 石 (いし, stone), 宝石 (ほうせき, gem) | 宝石 = gemstone |
| 砂 | サ (sa)・シャ (sha) | すな (suna) | sand | 砂 (すな, sand), 砂漠 (さばく, desert) | 砂漠 = desert |
| 岩 | ガン (gan) | いわ (iwa) | rock | 岩 (いわ, rock), 岩石 (がんせき, rock) | Bigger than 石 |
| 田 | デン (den) | た (ta) | rice field | 田んぼ (たんぼ, paddy field), 田舎 (いなか, countryside) | 田舎 = countryside |
| 野 | ヤ (ya) | の (no) | field | 野原 (のはら, open field), 野菜 (やさい, vegetables) | 野菜 = vegetables |
| 原 | ゲン (gen) | はら (hara) | plain | 原っぱ (はらっぱ, open field), 草原 (そうげん, grassland) | 高原 = plateau |
| 陸 | リク (riku) | — | land | 大陸 (たいりく, continent), 陸上 (りくじょう, on land) | 陸上競技 = track and field |
| 霧 | ム (mu) | きり (kiri) | fog | 霧 (きり, fog), 濃霧 (のうむ, dense fog) | 霧の都 = City of Fog |
Pictographic Origins: From Nature to Writing
The oldest kanji are pictures of nature:
| Kanji | Ancient Form | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 日 | ☉ Circle with a dot | Shape of the sun |
| 月 | ☽ Crescent shape | Shape of the crescent moon |
| 田 | 田 Four-square grid | Rice paddies divided by irrigation channels |
| 石 | Rock under a cliff | A stone at the base of a cliff |
| 土 | Mound on the ground | A mound of earth |
These characters have barely changed in thousands of years — because nature doesn't change.
Sun, Moon & Stars: The Japanese Week
Japan's day-of-the-week system uses celestial kanji directly:
| Day | Celestial Body | Element |
|---|---|---|
| 日曜日 (にちようび) | Sun | — |
| 月曜日 (げつようび) | Moon | — |
| 火曜日 (かようび) | Mars | Fire |
| 水曜日 (すいようび) | Mercury | Water |
| 木曜日 (もくようび) | Jupiter | Wood |
| 金曜日 (きんようび) | Venus | Metal |
| 土曜日 (どようび) | Saturn | Earth |
Seven days = seven celestial bodies = five elements (fire, water, wood, metal, earth) + sun and moon.
Cultural Note: Earthquake Nation
Japan sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, making earthquakes frequent:
- 地震 (じしん) = earth + shake — earthquake
- 震度 (しんど) = Japan's unique seismic intensity scale (0–7)
- 津波 (つなみ) = the English word "tsunami" comes from Japanese! 津 (harbor) + 波 (wave)
- 防災 (ぼうさい) = prevention + disaster — Japanese learn disaster preparedness from childhood
Practice
Q1. How do Japanese days of the week relate to celestial bodies?
Show answer
Direct correspondence. 日曜日 = Sun, 月曜日 = Moon, then fire through earth correspond to Mars through Saturn. Seven days = seven celestial bodies.
Q2. How many meanings does 空 have?
Show answer
At least two: sky (そら) and empty (から). 空港 = airport (sky + port), 空っぽ = completely empty.
Q3. Why does 虹 (rainbow) have the 虫 (insect) radical?
Show answer
Ancient people believed rainbows were dragons (虫 originally referred broadly to creatures including serpents and dragons). Rainbow = heavenly creature = 虹.
Q4. What does 田舎 mean and how is it read?
Show answer
Countryside. Read as いなか (a special compound reading called jukujikun). 田 (field) + 舎 (house) = houses among fields = rural area.
Q5. Where does the English word "tsunami" come from?
Show answer
Japanese 津波 (つなみ). 津 = harbor, 波 = wave. Originally meaning "harbor wave" — because tsunamis are most noticeable at harbors.
Summary
- 日, 月, 田, 石, 土 are among the oldest pictographic kanji — drawings of nature
- Seven days of the week = seven celestial bodies (sun, moon + five elements)
- 空 means both "sky" and "empty" — context determines the meaning
- Japan is an earthquake nation; the word "tsunami" entered English from Japanese
- Next up: Water and fire — learn kanji for temperature and states of matter