柏

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oak

On-Yomi: ハク、ヒャク、ビャク — Kun-Yomi: かしわ

Elements:

oak, tree, wood, white, dove

Heisig story:

This kanji calls to mind the famous myth of the "golden bough." As you may recall, what made the sacred oak in the forest of Diana the Huntress outside of Rome "golden" were the white berries of the mistletoe that grew in the branches of the tree. When the light of the sun shone through them, they turned yellow and the branch to which they clung appeared to be made of gold. (If you don't know the story, take a break today and hunt it down in a dictionary of myth and fable. Even if you forget the kanji - which of course you won't - the story of the mistletoe and the fate it brought to Balder the Beautiful is most memorable.)

Koohii stories:

1) [lilpea] 12-8-2007(121): The wood from oak trees can be used to make barrels in which white wine is aged. What's more, I love white wine with an oaky flavour…

2) [ashman63] 31-3-2008(104): An oak tree is white, from left to right!

3) [Mesqueeb] 1-2-2009(69): [Pokemon] Ash :: "Going to Oak for my first Pokemon!" Mom :: "Oak, Oak? That tree?" Ash :: "Noo! Professor Oak! You know, he always wears a white coat!" Mom :: "Okay dear! Don't forget clean underwear!".

4) [lbphenom] 28-1-2008(39): The white tree of Minas Tirith was an oak!

5) [Raichu] 19-10-2011(13): Prof. Oak ( オオキド博士 to Japanese fans) is named after a tree and has white hair.

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