The Kanji: 猿 (En / Saru)
The kanji 猿 means "monkey" or "ape." It combines 犭 (animal) with 袁 (robe), originally depicting long-haired primates. This character represents various primates and metaphorical human behavior.
Common Words & Example Sentences
1. 猿 (saru) - Monkey
動物園で猿が木に登る。
"Monkeys climb trees at the zoo."
2. 猿真似 (sarumanne) - Blind imitation
彼のやり方は単なる猿真似だ。
"His method is mere blind imitation."
3. 猿回し (sarumawashi) - Monkey performer
猿回しが大道芸を披露する。
"The monkey performer shows street entertainment."
4. 類人猿 (ruijin'en) - Anthropoid ape
類人猿の生態を研究する。
"Study the ecology of anthropoid apes."
In summary, 猿 describes primates (猿, 類人猿), imitative behavior (猿真似), and traditional entertainment (猿回し). It connects zoology with cultural commentary in Japanese.