Kanji: 注 相 談 心 配

1. Vocabulary List

2. Kanji Breakdown

注 — to concentrate on; to pour

• Reading: ちゅう
• Radical: 氵 — meaning "water"
• Memory Hook: The right part is 主, which depicts a burning candle — a flame at the centre. Pouring water with focus = concentrating.
• Key Compounds:

Culture Note: 注文 originally meant "a document describing what was needed." Today it simply means placing an order at a restaurant or shop.

• Example: 飛び出し注意。(Tobidashi chūi.) — "Watch out — children jumping out." (common street sign)
• Example: 注意してつつみます。(Chūi shite tsutsumimasu.) — "I'll wrap it carefully."
• Example: アイスコーヒーを注文する。(Aisu kōhī wo chūmon suru.) — "I'll order an iced coffee."

相 — mutual; minister

• Reading: そう
• Radical: 目 — meaning "eye"
• Memory Hook: When we consult someone, we look into their eyes (目). The left part 木 (tree) + eye (目) = observing carefully together.
• Key Compounds:

• Example: 日本の大学に行きたいので、先生に相談します。(Nihon no daigaku ni ikitai node, sensei ni sōdan shimasu.) — "Because I want to go to university in Japan, I will consult my teacher."

談 — to discuss

• Reading: だん
• Radical: 言 — meaning "speech"
• Memory Hook: 言 (speech/words) is shared by 話, 読, 語 — all language-related kanji. 談 = using words to discuss together.
• Key Compounds:

• Example: 友達のことを心配しているんだったら、相談してください。(Tomodachi no koto wo shinpai shite iru n dattara, sōdan shite kudasai.) — "If you are worrying about your friends, please ask me for advice."

心 — heart; mind

• Reading: しん (on-reading); こころ (kun-reading)
• Radical: 心 — 心 itself is a radical
• Memory Hook: Many emotion kanji use 心 — 思（おも・う）to think, 急（きゅう）urgent, 怒（おこ・る）angry, 悲（かな・しい）sad, 恥（は・ずかしい）embarrassed. The heart drives all emotions.
• Key Compounds:

• Example: まちの中心にとしょかんがあります。(Machi no chūshin ni toshokan ga arimasu.) — "There is a library in the centre of the town."
• Example: 引っ越しはお金がかかるので、心配しています。(Hikkoshi wa okane ga kakaru node, shinpai shite imasu.) — "Because moving house costs money, I'm worried."

配 — to distribute; to worry

• Reading: はい; ぱい (in compounds)
• Radical: 酉 — meaning "rice wine; sake jar"
• Memory Hook: 酉 (sake jar) = distributing drinks at a party. When you 心配 (worry), your heart (心) is being distributed in all directions with anxiety.
• Key Compounds:

• Example: 引っ越しはお金がかかるので、心配しています。(Hikkoshi wa okane ga kakaru node, shinpai shite imasu.) — "Because moving house costs money, I'm worried."

3. Reading Drill

4. Sentence Drill

5. Learning Context

• Topic: Kanji for advice, attention, worry, and the heart — 注 相 談 心 配
• Kanji Set: 注 相 談 心 配
• Memory Hooks:
  • 注（氵 water）— pour water with focus = concentrate; 主 (candle) suggests the centre
  • 相（目 eye）— looking into someone's eyes = consulting together
  • 談（言 speech）— shared with 話, 読, 語; words used in discussion
  • 心（心 heart）— heart drives all emotions; appears in 思, 急, 怒, 悲, 恥
  • 配（酉 sake jar）— distributing drinks → distributing worry = 心配
• Grammar Notes:
  • 相談する = to seek advice (you go to someone); 相談に乗る = to give advice (someone comes to you)
  • 心配する is a suru-verb compound: 心配 (noun) + する

6. Progress Tracker