地

Ground, Earth

JLPT N4

Interesting Fact

🌾In feudal Japan, land wasn't judged by its size but by how much rice it could produce. A domain's wealth was measured in koku, the amount of rice needed to feed one person for a year. Samurai lords competed not for the biggest territory, but for the most productive ground (地). In a way, fertile earth was more valuable than gold because it determined power, taxes, and even military strength.

Memory Trick

The left side is soil (土). The right side looks like a wiggly earthworms poking its head out. Imagine the worm saying, "Welcome to my underground home!". Ground = 地.