08 November 2008

危機 | きき



The kanji that go with these illustrations, make up the popular axiom 'crisis = danger + opportunity'. While it's a nice sentiment, a closer look at the second character shows that its primary meaning is 'loom' or 'device', or even 'machine' and, get this, 'airplane'. Somehow, 'Crisis! Dangerous airplane!' doesn't have the warm fuzzies that make me want to emblazon a tattoo on my bicep.
Ages ago the meaning of 'loom'  lead to the idea of 'wherewithal' and 'means' to get stuff done, which in turn lead to the associated meanings of 'occasion' and 'opportunity'.

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