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Final Review and Last-Minute Exam Tips — Passing Hanja Level 4 in Three Days from Scratch, Step 9

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Before We Begin
Step 9: Final Review of Easily Confused Hanja and Tips for Remembering Them

Before We Begin 🔗

In this final step, we will reinforce what we have learned together over the past three days instead of introducing new material.

Step 9: Final Review of Easily Confused Hanja and Tips for Remembering Them 🔗

Just before the exam, focus on solidifying what you already know and clearing up any confusion. This section reviews Level 4 characters that are easy to mix up because they look alike or share a reading.
[Characters that look alike]
  1. 日 (il, day) vs. 曰 (wal, to say)
    • 日 means sun or day. The middle horizontal stroke touches both sides, and the character is taller.
    • 曰 means to say. The middle stroke is shorter and does not touch the sides, and the character is flatter.
    • Memory aid: The sun stands tall, and speech lies flat!
  2. 土 (to, earth) vs. 士 (sa, scholar)
    • 土 means earth or soil. The top stroke is shorter, and the bottom stroke is longer.
    • 士 means scholar or person of talent. The top stroke is longer, and the bottom stroke is shorter.
    • Memory aid: The earth is wide at the bottom, and a scholar is wide at the top. Picture a scholar in a traditional Korean hat.
  3. 大 (dae, big) vs. 太 (tae, very big) vs. 犬 (gyeon, dog)
    • 大 means big and looks like a person.
    • 太 means big or excessive. Add a dot (丶) below 大. Think of it as bigger than big.
    • 犬 means dog. Add a dot (丶) to the right of 大. Think of the big animal with a dot as a dog. It's a stretch, but it may help you remember.
  4. 木 (mok, tree) vs. 本 (bon, root)
    • 木 means tree.
    • 本 means root or foundation. Add a horizontal stroke (一) near the bottom of 木. A tree's roots are its foundation.
  5. 未 (mi, not yet) vs. 末 (mal, end)
    • 未 means not or not yet. The short upper stroke of 木 is extended. Think of the top as still needing room to grow.
    • 末 means end or tip. The long upper stroke is extended. Picture a tree that has grown all the way to its tip.
  6. 入 (ip, enter) vs. 八 (pal, eight)
    • 入 means enter. The left-falling stroke is longer. Picture it reaching inside.
    • 八 means eight. The two slanting strokes are similar in length and nearly symmetrical. Picture eight pieces split into two groups.
  7. 田 (jeon, field) vs. 由 (yu, arise from) vs. 甲 (gap, armor)
    • 田 means field. It has a cross inside a square.
    • 由 means to arise from. The middle vertical stroke sticks out above 田. Imagine a sprout emerging from a field.
    • 甲 means armor or first. The middle vertical stroke sticks out below 田. Imagine the hard root beneath the field as armor.
  8. 自 (ja, self) vs. 白 (baek, white)
    • 自 means self. It looks like 目 with a left-falling stroke (丿) above it. It comes from an image of a nose. Picture pointing to your nose to mean yourself.
    • 白 means white. It looks like 日 with a left-falling stroke (丿) above it. Think of reflected sunlight shining white.
  9. 人 (in, person) vs. 入 (ip, enter) vs. 八 (pal, eight)
    • Compare all three side by side and make sure you can distinguish their shapes.
  10. 水 (su, water) vs. 氷 (bing, ice)
    • 水 means water.
    • 氷 means ice. Add a dot (丶) beside 水. Picture a drop of water freezing solid.
[Characters with the same or similar Korean readings but different meanings]
  1. 사 (sa)
    • 事 means an event, affair, or task.
    • 師 means teacher or army.
    • 四 means four.
    • 思 means to think.
    • 死 means to die.
    • 私 means private or personal. Check whether it is on the Level 4 list.
  2. 이 (i)
    • 二 means two.
    • 利 is read ri and means benefit or convenience.
    • 理 is read ri and means principle or to manage.
    • 異 means different.
    • 易 means easy when read i, or to change when read yeok.
    • 耳 means ear.
  3. 정 (jeong)
    • 正 means correct or upright and appears in the word for the first lunar month.
    • 情 means feeling or affection.
    • 定 means to decide or to stabilize.
    • 丁 is the fourth Heavenly Stem and can mean an adult man or a nail. Check whether it is on the Level 4 list.
    • 靜 means quiet. Check whether it is on the Level 4 list.
  4. 기 (gi)
    • 氣 means air or energy.
    • 記 means to record. It is scheduled for the next stage.
    • 其 means that or it. Check whether it is on the Level 4 list.
    • 期 means a period of time or to promise. Check whether it is on the Level 4 list.
    • 技 means skill or technique.
[Character groups to review once more before the exam]
  • Numbers
    — 一 through 十, 百, 千, 萬 (萬 is scheduled for the next stage)
  • Directions
    — 上, 下, 左, 右, 前, 後, 東, 西, 南, 北, 中, 外, 內
  • Family
    — 父, 母, 子, 女, 男, 兄, 弟, 祖 (jo, grandfather), 孫 (son, grandson). 祖 and 孫 are scheduled for the next stage.
  • School and study
    — 學, 校, 敎, 育, 先, 生, 書, 文, 字, 名, 問, 答, 試, 驗
  • Nature
    — 天, 地, 日, 月, 山, 川, 木, 水, 火, 土, 金, 石, 風, 雨, 雪, 雲, 電, 春, 夏, 秋, 冬, 光, 花, 草
  • Actions
    — 行, 來, 去, 出, 入, 立, 坐, 走, 見, 聞, 食, 作, 動, 開, 閉, 進, 退, 買, 賣, 選, 決
  • States and qualities
    — 大, 小, 多, 少, 高, 低, 長, 短, 新, 古, 同, 異, 有, 無, 安, 樂, 苦, 正, 全, 必, 可
    Final Review and Last-Minute Exam Tips — Passing Hanja Level 4 in Three Days from Scratch, Step 9 | PromleeBlog