口
MOUTH
Mnemonic
You’ve already seen this shape as the box / opening grapheme. On its own, though, this square represents an open MOUTH. Imagine the square as a big cartoon mouth opening wide as if to shout or sing.
Take note: circular shapes are almost always drawn as squares in kanji. This is a theme you’ll see again and again.
Example Vocabulary
-
人の口（ひとのくち） – a person’s mouth
Click to recall: 人 = -
入口（いりぐち） – entrance
Click to recall: 入 = -
出口（でぐち） – exit
Click to recall: 出 = -
一口（ひとくち） – a mouthful, one bite
Click to recall: 一 = -
水口（みずぐち） – a water outlet, a spout
Click to recall: 水 =
Beyond talking and eating
You’ll spot 口 not only for literal mouths, but also for openings in general: entrances, exits, ports, and even water outlets.
Anytime there’s an “opening,” chances are you’ll find a 口 nearby!
Example Sentences
- えきの入口はこちらです。– The entrance to the station is this way.
- 子どもはケーキを一口でたべました。– The child ate the cake in one bite.