鑒
take warning from, learn from, pattern, example
Readings
On'yomi
- カン
Kun'yomi
- かんが.みる
- かがみ
Meaning
鑒 centers on using a reflective surface to examine oneself or a situation: taking warning from past events, learning from an example, or holding something up as a pattern to follow.
Most common words using 鑒
- 降鑒こうかん
the gods watching over humans from the heavens
Study
Etymology
鑒 is a variant form of 鑑, combining 金 (metal) with a component related to looking or reflecting. The character originally referred to a metal mirror used for self-examination, which extended to the idea of taking warning or learning from an example.
Meaning mnemonic
Picture a polished metal (金) mirror held up to examine yourself. The reflection shows your past mistakes, warning you to learn and follow a better pattern.
Reading mnemonic
For カン, imagine a can of polish used to shine the metal mirror: can -> カン, and the shiny surface lets you see your reflection clearly.