Today we kick off Day 1 of Kanji easy remember series — tackling the most basic, yet powerful set: the numbers 1 to 10, 100, 1000 and 10000.
Even though these seem simple, behind them are fascinating stories, funny tricks, and cool images that will make your memory super strong.
The goal is mastering the 80 kanji required to pass N5, so every section just need to look at a bit character.
Let’s begin!
(This post generated by ChatGPT !
一 (いち — ichi) — Number 1
- History: A single horizontal line, representing one.
- Stroke: One simple line → 一
- Memory Trick: Just one straight stroke, simple like the number itself.
- Example:
- 一人 (ひとり — hitori) — one person.
- Vietnamese: một người.
🧠 Imagine you are drawing the floor — one straight ground → number 1.
二 (に — ni) — Number 2
- History: Two horizontal strokes stacked together.
- Stroke Order: The upper line is shorter than the lower one.
- Memory Trick: Two parallel lines — two friends standing together.
- Example:
- 二人 (ふたり — futari) — two people.
- Vietnamese: hai người.
三 (さん — san) — Number 3
- History: Three horizontal strokes.
- Stroke Order: Top is shortest, bottom is longest.
- Memory Trick: Like a staircase with 3 steps.
- Example:
- 三人 (さんにん — sannin) — three people.
- Vietnamese: ba người.
四 (し / よん — shi / yon) — Number 4
- History: Originally, the shape of a mouth (口) enclosing contents inside — representing completeness.
- Stroke Order: 5 strokes, enclosing box.
- Memory Trick: A box with 4 corners — just like a room.
- Example:
- 四人 (よにん — yonin) — four people.
- Vietnamese: bốn người.
🧠 Picture a closed box → 4 sides, safe and secure.
⚠️ Note: In Japan, 4 (し) can be unlucky because it sounds like 死 (death).
五 (ご — go) — Number 5
- History: Combination of horizontal, vertical and slant strokes — representing the half.
- Memory Trick: Think of an open hand with 5 fingers.
- Example:
- 五人 (ごにん — gonin) — five people.
- Vietnamese: năm người.
🖐️ Your hand helps you count to five!
六 (ろく — roku) — Number 6
- History & Meaning: Symbolizes a cozy house with a roof — representing harmony and comfort.
- Memory Trick: Think of a small house protecting the family.
- Example:
- 六人 (ろくにん — rokunin) — six people.
- Vietnamese: sáu người.
🏠 Six brings warmth like a family under one roof.
七 (しち — shichi) — Number 7
- History: Origin resembles a sword — symbolizing cutting or division.
- Memory Trick: Visualize the katana sword slashing downwards.
- Example:
- 七人 (しちにん — shichinin) — seven people.
- Vietnamese: bảy người.
⚔️ Lucky number, but also sharp like a sword!
八 (はち — hachi) — Number 8
- History & Culture: Two gates opening outward → endless growth and prosperity.
- Memory Trick: Open doors welcoming fortune.
- Example:
- 八人 (はちにん — hachinin) — eight people.
- Vietnamese: tám người.
🧧 In Japan and Asia, 8 = wealth, expansion, good fortune.
九 (きゅう / く — kyuu / ku) — Number 9
- History & Culture: Symbolizes great power but sometimes unlucky.
- Memory Trick: Imagine a dragon hoarding treasure.
- Example:
- 九人 (きゅうにん — kyuunin) — nine people.
- Vietnamese: chín người.
🐉 Powerful like a dragon, but in Japan sometimes avoided due to its reading (く — suffering).
十 (じゅう — juu) — Number 10
- History: Looks like a cross (+), combining all directions — symbol of completeness.
- Memory Trick: Horizontal (earth) + vertical (heaven) = balance of universe.
- Example:
- 十人 (じゅうにん — juunin) — ten people.
- Vietnamese: mười người.
✨ Perfect completeness — full score, full life!
百 (ひゃく — hyaku) — 100
- History: Originally came from combining “one” and a symbol for “white” — implying abundance.
- Memory Trick: Imagine 100 white cranes flying together.
- Example:
- 百人 (ひゃくにん — hyakunin) — one hundred people.
- Vietnamese: một trăm người.
🕊️ White cranes = many = 100.
千 (せん — sen) — 1000
- History: Look like a rice plant — representing plenty, harvest.
- Memory Trick: Imagine a rice field full of grain — thousands of seeds.
- Example:
- 千人 (せんにん — sennin) — one thousand people.
- Vietnamese: một ngàn người.
🌾 Rice = food = life = many = 1000.
万 (まん — man) — 10,000
- History: Simplified from 萬 — originally an insect with many legs (meaning countless).
- Memory Trick: Picture many little legs crawling = countless → 10,000.
- Example:
- 一万 (いちまん — ichiman) — ten thousand.
- Vietnamese: mười ngàn.
🐛 From tiny legs → endless numbers → 万!
Quick Kanji Table for Review
| Kanji | Hiragana | Romaji | Meaning | Vietnamese |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 一 | いち | ichi | 1 | một |
| 二 | に | ni | 2 | hai |
| 三 | さん | san | 3 | ba |
| 四 | し / よん | shi / yon | 4 | bốn |
| 五 | ご | go | 5 | năm |
| 六 | ろく | roku | 6 | sáu |
| 七 | しち | shichi | 7 | bảy |
| 八 | はち | hachi | 8 | tám |
| 九 | きゅう / く | kyuu / ku | 9 | chín |
| 十 | じゅう | juu | 10 | mười |
| 百 | ひゃく | hyaku | 100 | một trăm |
| 千 | せん | sen | 1000 | một ngàn |
| 万 | まん | man | 10000 | mười ngàn |
Now, I think this is the time to write down in paper and see video to understand more :
