梅 Ume

Radical Combination

• 木

  Tree
• 𠂉

  Gun
• 毋

  Window

Meaning

Primary

Ume

Alternatives

Japanese Plum, Japanese Apricot

Mnemonic

The tree you aim your gun at from your window is an ume tree, aka a Japanese plum tree. Why? Because shooting the ume out of Japanese plum trees is, in your opinion, the best way to harvest them.

Hints

Imagine picking fruit off an ume tree this way, shooting it off the branches with your gun. You take aim at an unsuspecting ume — BANG! The gunshot rings in your ears and the smell of gunpowder fills the air. The ume branch is now one ume lighter.

Readings

On’yomi

ばい

Kun’yomi

うめ

Nanori

None

Mnemonic

You've probably heard of ume before, depending on your exposure to Japan. Since the word itself is Japanese, the reading is also うめ.

Hints

Imagine eating your harvest of ume. Taste the sour, astringent flesh of these Japanese plums as you stuff your gluttonous face. Then, feel a stomach ache start to come on… Maybe this is why people normally pickle these before eating them.