坂 Slope

Radical Combination

• 土

  Dirt
• 反

  Anti

Meaning

Primary

Slope

Mnemonic

Dirt is being anti-social when it's in the shape of a slope. Think about it — is there anything more annoying than having to walk up a steep slope? Why is the dirt here forming a slope?! Because the dirt is being anti-social, and a slope is how it tells you to stay away.

Hints

Imagine the pain in your calves as you walk up a steep slope. Wow, this dirt is really anti-you right now. Going down the slope will be a lot easier and quicker, but that's still just the dirt trying to shoo you away as fast as possible.

Readings

On’yomi

はん

Kun’yomi

さか

Nanori

None

Mnemonic

You need to know these things about slopes if you want to play soccer (さか). Soccer is surprisingly slope-intensive, actually.

Hints

Maybe it looks flat to a spectator, but a soccer pitch is actually a series of very small slopes. Those soccer athletes who seem to fall and flop all the time are in fact just slipping on tiny invisible slopes.