名詞
めいし · meishi · JLPT N3 · noun
noun
🏷️ 名詞 = name + word: a noun is a naming word
名 (mei) means name and 詞 (shi) means word, so a noun is literally a name-word. Sound hook: meishi is also how you say 名刺, business card, and a business card carries your name.
名 — evening 夕 + mouth 口
A compound ideograph: in the dark of evening (夕), one cannot recognize others by sight, so the mouth (口) calls out a name to identify oneself. The original sense of 'name' broadened to include reputation, fame, and a measure word for people.