何 What

Radical Combination

• ｲ

  Leader
• 可

  Lip Ring

Meaning

Primary

What

Mnemonic

Our leader has a lip ring. Wait, our leader has a lip ring? WHAT??

Hints

Think of our president (or your prime minister, or dictator, or whatever) and imagine this person appearing on television one morning with a big ol' lip ring. Feel surprised by it. Just say "What??" over and over again. You want to have the feeling of "what" in you when you imagine this — that'll help you to remember this kanji's meaning.

Readings

On’yomi

か

Kun’yomi

なに, なん

Nanori

None

Mnemonic

This leader with the lip ring wants one thing. What is it? A nanny (なに) who can make naan (なん). The leader loves naan because it's soft enough to eat with their lip ring on. And a nanny needs to make it because the leader can't do anything on their own.

Hints

Imagine this leader calling the nanny over. "What is it?" asks the nanny. "Naan!" shouts the leader. What would that leader do without his naan nanny? What indeed.