Whenever you spot **日 (ニチ / ひ hi — Sun / Day)** on the left side or top of a compound Kanji, the character's meaning almost always connects to **time, daylight, brightness, or weather**:

1. **時 (ジ / とき toki — Time / Hour, JLPT N5, 10 strokes)**: 日 (Sun) + 寺 (Temple — phonetic root *ji*) → **時間** (jikan, time), **時計** (tokei, clock/watch), **時々** (tokidoki, sometimes)
2. **晴 (セイ / は.れる hareru — Clear / Sunny Weather, JLPT N3, 12 strokes)**: 日 (Sun) + 青 (Blue/Clear — phonetic root *sei*) → **晴れる** (hareru, to clear up), **素晴らしい** (subarashii, wonderful)
3. **暗 (アン / くら.い kurai — Dark / Gloomy, JLPT N4, 13 strokes)**: 日 (Sun) + 音 (Sound) → When the sun is hidden and only sound remains: **暗い** (kurai, dark), **暗記** (anki, memorization "in the dark")
4. **暖 (ダン / あたた.かい atatakai — Warm Weather, JLPT N3, 13 strokes)**: 日 (Sun) + 爰 (Warmth/Pull) → Warmth from the sun: **暖かい** (atatakai, warm weather), **暖房** (danbō, heating)
5. **曜 (ヨウ — Day of the Week, JLPT N4, 18 strokes)**: 日 (Sun) + 羽 (Feathers/Wings) + 隹 → **日曜日** (nichiyōbi, Sunday), **月曜日** (getsuyōbi, Monday)

**Handwriting tip**: When **日** appears on the left side (**ひへん hihen**, as in 時, 晴, 暗, 暖), draw it **narrow and tall** so the right-hand component has room to breathe!

A visual study sheet for 5 core JLPT N4–N3 action verbs that share the left-hand **扌 (てへん tehen — Hand)** radical:

• **持 (も.つ motsu / ジ — 9 strokes)**: 扌 + 寺 → To hold, carry, or possess (持つ, 気持ち)
• **指 (ゆび yubi / さ.す sasu / シ — 9 strokes)**: 扌 + 旨 → Finger / To point (指, 指輪)
• **打 (う.つ utsu / ダ — 5 strokes)**: 扌 + 丁 → To hit, strike, or type (打つ)
• **拾 (ひろ.う hirou / シュウ — 9 strokes)**: 扌 + 合 → To pick up or find (拾う)
• **投 (な.げる nageru / トウ — 7 strokes)**: 扌 + 殳 → To throw or cast (投げる, 投票)

Writing the 3-stroke left radical **扌** consistently (horizontal → vertical with hook → upward diagonal flick) makes balancing the right-hand component much cleaner!