Emotion and Mind Kanji

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to read and understand 8 N3-level kanji related to emotions and the mind, recognize them in common words, and use them in simple sentences.

Emotion and mind kanji often appear in daily conversation, news, and literature. They describe feelings (like anger, sadness, fear) and mental states (like thinking, remembering, forgetting). Knowing these kanji helps you express yourself more naturally and understand deeper content.

1. 怒 (ド / おこる / いかる) – Anger

• Meaning: anger, get angry
• Readings: ド (on'yomi), おこる (kun'yomi), いかる (kun'yomi)
• Common words:
  • 怒る (おこる) – to get angry怒
  • 怒り (いかり) – anger怒
  怒
• Memory tip: The top part (奴) looks like a person with a clenched fist; the bottom (心) is heart. Anger rises from the heart.奴心

2. 悲 (ヒ / かなしい) – Sadness

• Meaning: sad, sorrowful
• Readings: ヒ (on'yomi), かなしい (kun'yomi)
• Common words:
  • 悲しい (かなしい) – sad悲
  • 悲しみ (かなしみ) – sadness悲
  悲
• Memory tip: The top (非) looks like two wings folded down; the bottom (心) is heart. A heart with drooping wings = sadness.非心

3. 恐 (キョウ / おそれる / こわい) – Fear

• Meaning: fear, dread, terror
• Readings: キョウ (on'yomi), おそれる (kun'yomi), こわい (kun'yomi)
• Common words:
  • 恐い (こわい) – scary恐
  • 恐怖 (きょうふ) – terror, fear恐怖
  恐怖
• Memory tip: The top (巩) looks like a monster's open mouth; the bottom (心) is heart. A monster grabbing your heart = fear.巩心

4. 恋 (レン / こい) – Love (romantic)

• Meaning: love, longing
• Readings: レン (on'yomi), こい (kun'yomi)
• Common words:
  • 恋 (こい) – romantic love恋
  • 恋人 (こいびと) – lover, boyfriend/girlfriend恋人
  恋人
• Memory tip: The top (亦) looks like two people holding hands; the bottom (心) is heart. Two hearts together = love.亦心

5. 忘 (ボウ / わすれる) – Forget

• Meaning: forget, neglect
• Readings: ボウ (on'yomi), わすれる (kun'yomi)
• Common words:
  • 忘れる (わすれる) – to forget忘
  • 忘れ物 (わすれもの) – lost item忘物
  忘物
• Memory tip: The left (亡) means "die"; the right (心) is heart. When something dies in your heart, you forget it.亡心

6. 思 (シ / おもう) – Think

• Meaning: think, believe, consider
• Readings: シ (on'yomi), おもう (kun'yomi)
• Common words:
  • 思う (おもう) – to think思
  • 思い出 (おもいで) – memory思出
  思出
• Memory tip: The top (田) is a rice field; the bottom (心) is heart. Thoughts grow in the heart like rice in a field.田心

7. 快 (カイ / こころよい) – Pleasant

• Meaning: pleasant, comfortable, fast
• Readings: カイ (on'yomi), こころよい (kun'yomi)
• Common words:
  • 快適 (かいてき) – comfortable快適
  • 快速 (かいそく) – high-speed (train)快速
  快適速
• Memory tip: The left (忄) is heart; the right (夬) looks like a person stretching. A relaxed heart = pleasant feeling.忄夬

8. 情 (ジョウ / セイ / なさけ) – Emotion, Feeling

• Meaning: emotion, feeling, compassion
• Readings: ジョウ (on'yomi), セイ (on'yomi), なさけ (kun'yomi)
• Common words:
  • 感情 (かんじょう) – emotion感情
  • 情報 (じょうほう) – information情報
  感情報
• Memory tip: The left (忄) is heart; the right (青) means blue/green. A heart that shows its color = emotion.忄青

1. 彼は怒っている。
   Kare wa okotte iru.
   He is angry.彼怒

   彼怒

2. 悲しいニュースを聞いた。
   Kanashii nyūsu o kiita.
   I heard sad news.悲聞

   悲聞

3. 暗い道が恐い。
   Kurai michi ga kowai.
   Dark roads are scary.暗道恐

   暗道恐

4. 彼女に恋をしている。
   Kanojo ni koi o shite iru.
   I am in love with her.彼女恋

   彼女恋

5. 宿題を忘れた。
   Shukudai o wasureta.
   I forgot my homework.宿題忘

   宿題忘

6. あなたのことを思う。
   Anata no koto o omou.
   I think about you.思

   思

7. この椅子は快適だ。
   Kono isu wa kaiteki da.
   This chair is comfortable.椅子快適

   椅子快適

8. 感情をコントロールする。
   Kanjō o kontorōru suru.
   Control your emotions.感情

   感情

Mistake: Confusing 恋 (love) with 愛 (love).恋愛

• 恋 (こい) = romantic love, often passionate or longing恋
• 愛 (あい) = deep, unconditional love (family, humanity)愛
• Example: 恋人 (こいびと) = romantic partner; 愛する (あいする) = to love (deeply)恋人愛

Mistake: Writing 忘 with the wrong radical.忘

• The left side is 亡 (die), not 忙 (busy). 忙しい (いそがしい) = busy, but 忘れる = forget.亡忙忘

Fill in the blanks with the correct kanji from this lesson.

1. 彼はいつも___っている。 (He is always angry.)
   Answer: 怒彼怒

   彼怒

2. この映画はとても___しい。 (This movie is very sad.)
   Answer: 悲映画悲

   映画悲

3. 高いところが___い。 (I am afraid of heights.)
   Answer: 恐高恐

   高恐

4. 彼女に___をしている。 (I am in love with her.)
   Answer: 恋彼女恋

   彼女恋

5. 傘を___れた。 (I forgot my umbrella.)
   Answer: 忘傘忘

   傘忘

You learned 8 emotion and mind kanji: 怒 (anger), 悲 (sadness), 恐 (fear), 恋 (love), 忘 (forget), 思 (think), 快 (pleasant), 情 (emotion). Practice reading them in sentences and writing them by hand. Next, try learning kanji for "body parts" (手, 足, 目, 口) to expand your vocabulary further.怒悲恐恋忘思