Separating and understanding with 解
The etymology of 解 suggests a meaning of separate or remove.
Separting something complex into simpler parts gets the additional meanings of explain and understand.
Etymology
This kanji is an ideogramic compound comprised of 角 (horn), 刀 (knife), and 牛 (cow). These invoke imagery of a knife separating a horn from a cow.
The meanings of separate and remove are clear from this imagery. Imagine using the knife to open the cow, allowing you to understand and explain the cow’s internal structure.
Mnemonics
WaniKani and Migaku both create a mnemonic from 角 (corner), 刀 (knife), and 牛 (cow) to derive unravel. WaniKani extends the mnemonic with the word kayak for the common on reading かい.
Common Words
理解: Understanding
理解 means to understand, comprehend, or grasp the meaning of something. It involves interpreting information, grasping concepts, and recognizing relationships. This is in contrast to simple memorization.
It combines 理 (reason) with 解 (understand) to show an understanding from reasoning.
Sakurako tells Takeru not to go to the shogi club as he’ll get in the way of Ayumu being with Urushi. However, as a new member of shogi club, and as a man, Takeru feels it’s his duty to show up. On his way to the shogi club room, he encounters Ayumu who implores him to come to the shogi club room. 理解 conveys (Takeru’s belief) that Ayumu has grasped and understood his resolve as a man. Understanding my resolve as a man with 理解
誤解: Misunderstanding
誤解 means to misinterpret something.
It combines 誤 (incorrect) and 解 (understand) to show an misinterpreration or misunderstanding of something.
Since Hiyori is resting on a bed inside, Junpei takes a plate from the barbecue to her room. As he walks in, he finds Hiyori and Yuushin in what looks like a compromising position. 誤解 implies that Junpei has incorrectly interpreted the situation. Misunderstanding an incriminating situation with 誤解
解決: Resolution
解決 means to resolve or settle a problem or conflict. It involves not only understanding something, but taking action to bring it to a clear and finished state. It is often used for problems that require a concrete outcome.
It combines 解 (understand) with 決 (decide) to show a resolution through deciding the solution.
Kotoha brings news that the old woman who runs the croquette shop has a cause for Colors. The trio heads out to the shop to get the details. 解決 here means to bring resolution to the issue the old woman is troubled by. Resolving the case with 解決
正解: Correct answer
正解 means a correct answer or correct interpretation. It refers to arriving at the right conclusion, solution, or understanding based on accurate information or reasoning. It’s often used in quizzes and puzzles where there is a clearly defined “right” result.
It combines 正 (correct) with 解 (understand) to show a correct understanding or correct solution.
Takagi challenges Nishikata to guess what ingredient is inside a riceball in her lunch box. Seeing a bit of salmon from the other riceball, Nishika goes with salmon as his guess. 正解 notes the one and only correct answer. The correct ingredient with 正解
了解: Complete understanding and acknowledgement
了解 means to grasp or comprehend something clearly and fully, especially facts, situations, or instructions. This is often a practical or situational understanding rather than deep intellectual analysis.
It is commonly used alone (or with a form of する) to signify acknowledgment, similar to saying “Understood” in English.
It combines 了 (complete or finish) with 解 (understand) to show a full comprehension.
Mao needs Hiro to go grocery shopping with her due to a sale that’s limited per customer. She tells him the plan is to start by grabbing everyday household items first. 了解 conveys that Hiro fully understands the plan. Grocery shopping plan understood with 了解
解放: Liberation
解放 means to remove constraints, so that something can exist or more freely again. It can refer to physical freedom (freeing a person, animal, or object), social or political liberation, or mental/emotional release (letting go of tension, stress, or fixed ideas).
It combines 解 (untie) with 放 (remove) to show a release by undoing what binds or restricts.
Hiroto’s friend Hideki stops by Hiroto’s workplace looking for a place to stay for the night. He has with him a shopping bag with beef. 解放 conveys the freedom from the constraints of having to pay rent. Liberated from a life of paying rent with 解放
解除: Cancellation
解除 means to cancel, rescind, or lift something, such as a contract, ban, restriction, or alert. It involves removing or abolishing a previously imposed binding, obligation, or prohibition, thereby releasing the affected party.
It combines 解 (untie) with 除 (remove) to show a release by removing what binds or restricts.
A shop owner tells the Colors trio that he’s crafted a bomb. 解除 here refers to deactivating (canceling) the bomb. Deactivating a bomb with 解除
解散: Dissolution
解散 means to dissolve or disband a group, organization, or meeting. It refers to the official termination of a collective body, causing its members to disperse and its activities to end. The focus is on something that was once unified no longer functioning as a single unit.
It combines 解 (untie) with 散 (scatter) to show a dissolution through loosening ties and scattering.
Detective Kogoro gives a young woman a ride home in exchange for concert tickets. While waiting for her to get the tickets, Kogoro notices the livingroom is filled with pop star posters. 解散 here refers to the music group having disbanded, which was prompted by the death of the of the members. Disbanding a music group with 解散
解説: Explanation
解説 means to explain in detail, provide commentary, or offer an interpretation. It focuses on breaking information down so that others can understand it clearly, often in a structured or expert way. It is commonly used for explanations of rules, texts, events, media (like sports commentary), or technical topics.
It combines 解 (understand) with 説 (explain) to show making something understandable by explaining it.
解体: Dismantling
解体 means to dismantle, demolish, or disassemble something. It can refer to physically breaking something down, like a machine or a building, or metaphorically deconstructing a concept or system.
It combines 解 (separate) with 体 (body) to show an undoing of the structure or dismantling of the body.
Conan and his friends go to the theater to see a movie. There, they discover this is the last day before the theater closes. 解体 refers to the demolition work preparing to be done. Demolishing the movie theater with 解体
解消: Elimination
解消 means to dissolve, cancel, or eliminate something. It is commonly used for terminating contracts, abolishing arrangements, clearing up misunderstandings, or relieving stress and concerns by making them completely disappear. It emphasizes removing or dissolving an undesirable state rather than just resolving it.
It combines 解 (untie) with 消 (disappear) to show a dissolution through solving.
Kogorao, Ran, and Conan are at a convention for game software makers, since Kogoro helped as a consultant for a murder mystery video game. There, a punch strength test game catches Ran’s eye. She sees one of the developers throw a punch at it. 解消 here refers to eliminating feelings of stress. Relieving stress with 解消
解釈: Interpretation
解釈 means to interpret, explain, or give the meaning of something. It involves analyzing the content deeply and providing a specific reading or clarification, often with a subjective or contextual angle. This goes beyond simple comprehension to articulating one’s understanding.
It combines 解 (understand) with 釈 (explain) to show an understanding through explanation.
As she models for a sketch, Lulu recalls seeing Hideki blowing flower petals into the air. She brings it up to him. 解釈 here refers to the interpretation he gains in the art of flower petals as they dance through the air. Interpretating dancing flower petals with 解釈
解剖: Dissection
解剖 means to dissect, analyze, or examine something in detail. It is often used in medical contexts for anatomical dissection, but can also be applied metaphorically to analyzing a problem or situation thoroughly.
It combines 解 (understand) with 剖 (cut open) to show an understanding through cutting open, breaking something down in order to examine and comprehend its parts.
Inspector Megure suggests the murder suspect committed suicide by drowning himself. The medical examiner suggests otherwise. 解剖 here refers to performing an autopsy on the body to determine the cause of death. Determining the cause of death with 解剖
分解: Decomposition
分解 means to break something down into parts, analyze, or disassemble it. It involves separating a whole into its components in order to understand, inspect, or solve a problem.
It combines 分 (divide) with 解 (understand) to show an understanding by dividing or breaking down into parts.
Hinata dedicates the month of December to giving her home a complete cleaning. 分解 refers to the grease being broken down by the warm water on the newspapers. Breaking down grease with 分解
解析: Analysis
解析 means to analyze, break down, or examine something in detail. It involves carefully separating a complex whole into simpler parts to examine, explain, or solve it.
It combines 解 (understand) with 析 (split) to show an understanding through analyzing or dissecting something carefully.
解答: Solution
解答 means a solution or answer, especially to a question, problem, exam, or puzzle. It refers to the response arrived at after analyzing and comprehending the issue, often including explanation or steps. This contrasts with a simple guess or reply.
It combines 解 (understand) with 答 (answer) to show an answer from understanding.
解明: Clarification
解明 means to clarify, or throw light on something unclear or mysterious. It involves analyzing information, uncovering facts, and bringing understanding to a situation.
It combines 解 (understand) with 明 (clear) to show a bringing clarity through understanding.
解雇: Dismissal
解雇 means to dismiss or fire someone from a job. It involves ending employment, often due to performance issues, restructuring, or other reasons.
It combines 解 (remove) with 雇 (employ) to show a release from employment or dismissal.
和解: Reconciliation
和解 means to reconcile, reach an agreement, or settle a dispute peacefully. It emphasizes restoring harmony between parties rather than just resolving the factual problem.
It combines 和 (harmony) with 解 (understand) to show a resolution through harmony.
見解: Opinion
見解 means a personal opinion, viewpoint, or perspective on a matter. It emphasizes how someone sees or interprets something rather than just understanding it.
It combines 見 (see) with 解 (understand) to show an understanding through observation.
解読: Deciphering
解読 means to decipher, decode, or interpret something that is difficult to understand, such as codes, illegible handwriting, difficult text. It involves analyzing information carefully to extract meaning.
It combines 解 (understand) with 読 (read) to show an understanding through reading or decoding.
解禁: Lifting of a Ban
解禁 means to lift a ban, prohibition, or restriction that was previously in place, thereby allowing something that had been forbidden.
It combines 解 (remove) with 禁 (prohibition) to show a release from prohibition.