Kanji nerds, get your fill:

↑ That right there is a 満月 (まんげつ), a "full moon."

We've seen sentences using this word in lessons 229 and 320 (←a lesson with an almost identical photo).

We've also seen these words:

満開（まんかい // full bloom）

満席（まんせき // fully occupied [i.e. no open seats]）

肥満（ひまん // obesity）

...in these lessons:

- [NDL #101] - Cherry Blossom Tracking
- [NDL #263] - Going to the Movies
- [NDL #484] - JLPT N4: ～たら (if)
- [NDL #322] - JLPT N5: くする
- [NDL #430] - JLPT N2: に限らず

Long story short: You need to know this kanji.

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満 is a kanji meaning "full" or "fullness."

Quick, learn it:

満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満　満

Oh, does repeating kanji not help you learn them too much? Yeah, me neither.

Well, we could do mnemonics, but they don't work too well in isolation.

How about we just learn some useful vocab?

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Useful Vocab Using 満：

満タン（まんタン // full tank [e.g. of gas]）

満点（まんてん // perfect score; full marks）

満腹（まんぷく // full stomach）

不満（ふまん // dissatisfaction; displeasure; discontent）

満ちる（みちる // to be full [of]）

Note: As can be inferred from this list, the onyomi of 満 is まん and the kunyomi is み. I typically avoid mentioning stuff like this, though, because learning vocab is so much more effective than learning just readings in isolation. I never studied what the onyomi and kunyomi for kanji were--I just learned vocabulary--and I managed just fine.

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Useful Sentences Using Useful Vocab Using 満：

Time to put our target vocab into sentences.

Because the same way that vocab makes learning kanji easier, so too do sentences make learning vocab easier.

レギュラー満タンでお願いします。
レギュラー　まんタン　で　おねがいします。
Please fill up the tank.
Literally: “regular (gas) + full tank + で + please.”
Note: Gas stations are often full-service in Japan, so someone fills up your tank for you... like in Oregon, for example.

漢字テスト満点だった！
かんじ　テスト　まんてん　だった！
I got a perfect score on my kanji test!
Literally: “kanji + test + full score / perfect marks + was!”

あ～満腹。
あ～　まんぷく。
Ah, I’m full.
Literally: “ah, + full stomach.”

何が不満なの？
なに　が　ふまん　なの？
What’s bothering you? // What is it that you’re upset about?
Literally: “what + が + discontent / dissatisfaction + なの？”

この世界は不思議に満ちている。
この　せかい　は　ふしぎ　に　みちている。
This world is full of mysteries.
Literally: “this + world + は + wonder / miracle / mystery + に + is being full.”

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I thought that learning mnemonics was a great way for me to get an initial grasp of the kanji, as well as to build up my confidence that it was actually possible for me to recognize thousands of different characters.

But what really got me to "kanji mastery" was learning tons and tons of vocabulary words.

Actually, learning vocabulary has been the answer to pretty much every problem I've ever had with Japanese.

So master those 満 words and you're be mastering 満 in the process!