# 核 nucleus

木 (tree) + (pine cone)
★★☆☆☆
10 strokes

## Onyomi

KAKU |

## Mnemonic

| The pine cone is the nucleus of the tree, from which new trees start. Similarly, the COCK is the nucleus of the human male. (cf. every female stand-up comic)

## Kunyomi

かく | nucleus or kernel LAZY ★★☆☆☆

## Jukugo

核兵器(かくへいき) | nuclear weapons ★☆☆☆☆ 核 (nucleus) + 兵器 (arms) = 核兵器 (nuclear weapons)
陰核(いんかく) | clitoris ☆☆☆☆☆ SARC 陰 (shady) + 核 (nucleus) = 陰核 (clitoris) clitoris - not a word you'd use in most conversations, but I'm including it anyway because the literal translation is so irresistable: hidden nucleus! How boss is that?

## Lookalikes

| Meaning | Hint | Radical
--- | --- | --- | ---
咳 | cough | MOUTH | 口
核 | nucleus | TREE | 木
刻 | engrave | SWORD | 刀
該 | correspond to | SAY | 言
削 | whittle down | CARROT | 肖

You cough with your MOUTH.

The seed is the nucleus of a TREE,

but you carve with a SWORD.

My words correspond to what I SAY.

You whittle a what?? a CARROT,dummy.