# 歳 years old

止 (stop) + 成 (become) + 小 (small size)
★★★☆☆
13 strokes
COUNTER

## Onyomi

SAI | He SIGHed as he turned another year old. Closer to the grave, my friend, closer to the grave!

## Mnemonic

| When you turn 10 years old you stop being small, and you become a tween!

## Jukugo

xxx 歳(さい) | years old ★★★★★ COUNTER counter for "years old" that a person is.
万歳(ばんざい!) | banzai! ★★☆☆☆ 1/2 KANA 万 (10000) + 歳 (years old) = 万歳 (banzai!) Fuckin' banzai, man!!!! (literally '10,000 years', meaning, 'May the Emperor live 10,000 years!' is what you shout as you charge into battle)
二十歳(はたち) | twenty years old ★☆☆☆☆ CCW FP 二 (two) + 十 (ten) + 歳 (years old) = 二十歳 (twenty years old) twenty years old - traditionally the age at which Japanese turn into adults and get presents, kimono, etc. So, naturally it has its own special pronunciation that doesn't make any sense, since it SHOULD be called にじゅうさい。 Whatever. Tradition.

## Lookalikes

| Meaning | Hint | Radical
--- | --- | --- | ---
厳 | strict | NEEDLE | 針
歳 | years old | STOP | 止
滅 | annihilate | FIRE AND WATER | 水
威 | terrible majesty | WOMAN | 女

The strict nurse injects you with a NEEDLE,

but the drug STOPS you from aging.

Both FIRE AND WATER can annihilate a city,

but that WOMAN has a terrible majesty even more scary!