険 means “steep, risky”

けん · ken

Also: precipitous, inaccessible place, impregnable position, steep place

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

けわしい

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ケン

JLPT N3 · Taught in grade 5 · 11 strokes

The story

A hill (阝) and the right side it shares with 検 and 剣, meaning everyone together: picture a mountain path so steep the whole party ropes up. 険しい is steep or stern, 危険 is danger, 保険 is insurance against it, and 冒険, braving it, is adventure.

Used in 危険 (kiken, danger), 保険 (hoken, insurance), and 冒険 (bouken, adventure)

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Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.