Logics and such in kanji

[Zhivago]

Almost all combinations of kanji we see, are more or less.. 'logical' as in that the meanings could combine to effect

真剣

real & sword, well when someone has real sword he is serious.

虫眼鏡

bug & eye & mirror. Ok, bit tricky but I can get the idea of magnifying class if I try hard enough, there is bug and glasses after all.

放射線

release & shoot/shine + line. Release of shine in a line = radiation, ok.


But then

無心

nothingness/none + heart/mind = innocent ?

Sounds opposite to me...

助平

help/assist + flat/peace/palm = lecher ?

(unless it is poor pun about 'helping hand' )

So could someone explain the logic between those combinations
Or am I trying in vain to find logic in this languge ?

Feel free to answer in Japanese... I need reading exercise.

 

[undrentide]

Almost all combinations of kanji we see, are more or less.. 'logical' as in that the meanings could combine to effect

真剣

real & sword, well when someone has real sword he is serious.

虫眼鏡

bug & eye & mirror. Ok, bit tricky but I can get the idea of magnifying class if I try hard enough, there is bug and glasses after all.

放射線

release & shoot/shine + line. Release of shine in a line = radiation, ok.


But then

無心

nothingness/none + heart/mind = innocent ?

Sounds opposite to me...

助平

help/assist + flat/peace/palm = lecher ?

(unless it is poor pun about 'helping hand' )

So could someone explain the logic between those combinations
Or am I trying in vain to find logic in this languge ?

Feel free to answer in Japanese... I need reading exercise.

無心 used to mean "heartless".
When it means "innocence", 心 means 邪心 evil thought.
We still use 無心 in negative way, too, 無心する means to ask for money without hesitation.

助平
According to dictionaries, it used to be written 助兵衛, and is believed to have been derived from 好兵衛（すきべえ）.
好（すき） here means lust, 兵衛 is suffix used in man's name, often used to make a word to indicate certain kind of chap.
e.g.
飲兵衛 のんべえ those who loves drinks, or drunk
小言幸兵衛 こごとこうべえ a person who always chides/lectures

As you are already aware, those words are not always logical.
So my two cents: do not read too much!

 

[Elizabeth]

助平
help/assist + flat/peace/palm = lecher ?
(unless it is poor pun about 'helping hand' )
So could someone explain the logic between those combinations
Or am I trying in vain to find logic in this language ?
Feel free to answer in japanese... I need reading exercise.

新語を教えてくれてありがとうございます。
「助平」という単語を見たのは初めてです。
はっきり答えられないですが 一つの漢字が漢字の組みあわせや、
意味で使い方が変わるのは普通ですね。

常識的に考えるとも、漢字に、ルール、明らかな論理
はない方が多いと思います。読書、暗記することによって
覚えなければなりませんね。
大変ですががんばってくださいね。

 

[Elizabeth]

助平
help/assist + flat/peace/palm = lecher ?

ところで、Lewdness に 「助平」より「猥褻、卑猥、淫ら。。。 」
の方を使う場合が多いと思いますね。
言い方はいろいろあると思いますが、これが簡潔で論理的でしょう。

 

[undrentide]

ところで、Lewdness に 「助平」より「猥褻、卑猥、淫ら。。。 」
の方を使う場合が多いと思いますね。
言い方はいろいろあると思いますが、これが簡潔で論理的でしょう。

助平はどちらかというと話し言葉でよく使われますよね。
ほかに「いやらしい」なんて言い方もします。

 

[leonmarino]

What's the logic behind the word 馬鹿? (baka = fool) Horse-Deer!?!

 

[undrentide]

What's the logic behind the word 馬鹿? (baka = fool) Horse-Deer!?!

hahaha...

Well, it is written 莫迦 (baka) and according to 広辞苑, was derived from "moha" (慕何） in 梵語 (Sanskrit) which means ignorance.
It used to be a slang among Buddhism priests, which seems to have been wide spread somehow.
馬鹿 is just 当て字 - applied from the sounds.

 

[Glenn]

I think it's important to note that language isn't math, and that words change in meaning and usage over time, so that a word that once had a positive meaning can come to have a negative one through sarcasm (and possibly other means).