Truth

by Nao

ma, shin

This character means truth or reality. The noun shin and shinjitsu mean truth. Monosyllabic words like shin don’t feel unstable in any sentences. In mathematical theories, however, shin is preferred. Compounds such as shinjitsu feel stable.

As a general grammar rule, putting the particle no after a noun makes an adjective and putting the particle ni after a noun makes an adverb. With the noun shin, shinno is true and shinni means truly.

Both shinsō and shinri mean the truth. Let me add the nuances of the meanings. The facts having revealed or the true stories unraveled are called shinsō. It might be something you want to make clear (akirakanisuru). Verities are shinri. It might be something you want to pursue (tankyūsuru).

Another word accompanying this character is shinkū meaning a vacuum.

The other reading ma sounds colloquial. It is convenient to use it as a prefix when you want to exaggerate or to stress a word sometimes redundantly.

Here are some examples:

• man naka – the center of something
• maue – the right above of something or right overhead
• mashita – the right below of something
• mamizu – fresh water, often contrasting with seawater

Here is the drawing order.

1. Draw the horizontal stroke.
2. Draw the sweeping stroke from the top.
3. Draw the left side of the rectangle.
4. Draw the upper and right sides of the rectangle.
5. Draw the upper horizontal stroke in the rectangle.
6. Draw the lower horizontal stroke in the rectangle.
7. Draw the lower side of the rectangle.
8. Draw the longest horizontal line.
9. Draw the sweeping stroke in the lower left corner.
10. Draw the dot in the lower right corner.