明
Mnemonic
This character combines the sun (日) and the moon (月), evoking an image of a sky lit up by both at the same time. When both shine together, everything is BRIGHT and CLEAR.
(Note: To help you understand the difference in the two core meanings, think of a “bright light” versus a “clear explanation".)
Example Vocabulary
- 明月（めいげつ） – a clear, full moon Click to recall: 月 =
- 明るい（あかるい） – bright; cheerful
- 明らか（あきらか） – clear; obvious
- 明日（あした） – tomorrow Click to recall: 日 =
Note on 明日 (あした):
While most words in this list connect clearly to the kanji meanings, the meaning “tomorrow” for 明日 (“bright/clear” + “sun/day”) isn’t as obvious. This word is just an exception! In Japanese, some words use kanji in ways inspired by old expressions or poetic images. In this case, 明日 comes from the idea: "Tomorrow is a bright new day".
The takeaway is this: not every compound can be understood literally. Japanese compounds sometimes work like building blocks, but not alwaysー and that’s totally normal.
Example Sentences