1. Overview of Meaning
The kanji “鯨” (pronounced “kujira” in Japanese) means “whale.” It refers to the large marine mammals known for their size and intelligence, often found in oceans around the world.
2. Formation and Radicals
The kanji “鯨” is a compound character, formed by combining the radical for fish (魚) with the phonetic component “京” (which suggests the pronunciation). This character belongs to the category of 形声文字 (phono-semantic compounds), where the meaning is derived from the radical and the sound from the phonetic component.
The radical for “鯨” is 魚, which indicates that it is related to fish or aquatic life.
3. Examples of Usage
Common words and phrases that include “鯨” are:
- 鯨魚 (kujira uo) – whale fish
- 鯨類 (keirui) – cetaceans
Example sentence in daily conversation:
「海で鯨を見たことがありますか？」 (Umi de kujira o mita koto ga arimasu ka?) – “Have you ever seen a whale in the ocean?”
4. Synonyms and Antonyms
Similar kanji with related meanings include:
- 魚 (uo) – fish, which refers to smaller aquatic animals.
- 海獣 (kaijuu) – marine mammal, which encompasses a broader category including whales, seals, and dolphins.
Antonyms or contrasting kanji include:
- 陸 (riku) – land, which represents the opposite environment of the ocean.
5. Cultural and Historical Background
The whale holds significant cultural importance in Japan, often symbolizing strength and grace. In traditional Japanese culture, whales have been featured in folklore and art.
Proverbs and idioms related to whales include:
- 「鯨のように大きな夢を持つ」 (Kujira no you ni ookina yume o motsu) – “To have dreams as big as a whale,” which means to aspire to great things.