CHARACTER HOME PAGE

turtle, tortoise; "turtle" radical
Kanji 1985

Thank you for visiting this Character Home Page. Below you'll find a synopsis of the essay. If you wish to read the full text, the PDF of the essay is available for purchase to the right.

Synopsis

People universally associate turtles with slowness. The Japanese do, too, but they’ve taken turtle symbolism quite a bit further. They also see these ponderous animals as representing luck, longevity, wisdom, experience, divisiveness, ugliness, and sexual attractiveness! Ugliness and sexual attractiveness?! Quite a range! As if all that weren’t enough, 亀 is also a radical and a new addition to the Joyo set, as of 2010.

Revision history:

June 6, 2021: 

  • p. 2: Replaced the Henshall etymology.
  • p. 9: Added a link to the Kanshudo games.

Feb. 24, 2013: Fixed a link on page 3.

Aug. 24, 2012: Added two photos to page 14.

June 2, 2012: Added two photos to page 13.

Comments

turtle's picture
I had to check out Turtle since that is the symbol for when my husband, Mac, is trying to connect with me. Karen
 
eve's picture
Oh, Karen! Mac's cartoon of a turtle is on the last page of this essay! I just love that cartoon, no matter how many times I look at it! Fun to see you here with the first JOK comment anyone has made! :-)
 

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Kanji PDF
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JOYO ON-YOMI
JOYO KUN-YOMI
かめ
STROKES11
RADICAL亀 (213: turtle)
JLPTN1
HALPERN1346/1826
HENSHALL-/1180
SPAHN2n9.1