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Big Dipper

On-Yomi: ト、トウ

Elements:

big dipper, measuring cup, big dipper, The Plough, drop, ten, needle

Heisig story:

The Big Dipper here is of course the constellation of Ursa Major, of which this kanji is a sort of pictographic representation.

Heisig comment:

* Since we already have a primitive element for a "dipper" - namely, the ladle - we shall let this one stand for a measuring cup. By the way, it would make a rather large one, since the kanji is also used for a measure of about 18 liters!

Koohii stories:

1) [snallygaster] 7-10-2007(162): Since the meaning of "big dipper" is rather specific and the sense of measurement seems to be a more common usage, I concentrate on the primative meaning of measuring cup. This is a pictograph, with the first two strokes representing the measuring ticks on the side of the cup.

2) [ihatobu] 10-10-2008(98): Is it just me, or do all of these traditional kanji pictographs look like they were drawn by a retarded bunny rabbit?

3) [Viking101] 4-1-2010(30): I looked out my window frame and saw two shooting stars slashing through the big dipper. Primitive: Big Gulp cup from 7-11.

4) [igordesu] 13-1-2009(22): This does not look like the big dipper or 18 liters of anything in any way, shape, or form.

5) [meiko452] 11-11-2010(11): The Big Dipper is a celestial measuring cup.

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