朱
← →
vermilion
On-Yomi: シュ — Kun-Yomi: あけ
Elements:
vermillion, drop, not yet, one, tree, wood
Heisig story:
That red-orange color we call vermilion is found in nature during the fall when the leaves lose their sugar and begin to change color. This kanji depicts the very last leaf on a tree in the fall (the drop hung in the first stroke), the leaf that has not yet fallen as it one day must. Look at its color - vermilion. (Well, not really. The truth is, vermilion is made from a mercuric sulfide, but I'm sure you will agree that autumn leaves area lot easier to work with.)
Koohii stories:
1) [dwhitman] 5-10-2007(204): It's autumn: only one vermilion leaf on the tree has not yet fallen.
2) [solarmist] 30-6-2008(29): [Cheat] Remember these as a set: The tree ( 木 ) is not yet ( 未 )[correction wrong character before] vermilion ( 朱 ).
3) [uchifly] 22-2-2009(20): VERMILION is the color of the last leaves on the TREE which have NOT YET fallen in autumn.
4) [jabberwockychortles] 21-6-2009(13): [Cheat] Remember these as a set: The tree ( 木 ) is not yet ( 未 ) vermilion ( 朱 ). (thanks solarmist) in late summer there's a drop of color on the trees but it's not yet vermilion.
5) [mameha1977] 16-10-2007(7): [Cheat] Remember these as a set: The tree ( 木 ) is not yet ( 末 ) vermilion ( 朱 ).