When you first see the kanji 蔵ぞう, the part that may stand out is the くさかんむり (艹), the radical on top. At the same time, the dense block underneath can feel intimidating at first. But don’t worry — that seemingly complex part can actually be unpacked into a handful of simpler pieces. In fact, you can spot four distinct components here, each of which also serves as a radical in other kanji. Once you see the pieces, the whole character suddenly makes sense.

First, in the middle sits 臣, a full character meaning retainer or minister. Surrounding this center, we find two framing components: がんだれ （厂） on the left, and ほこづくり （戈） on the right, both joined across the top by a horizontal stroke. Finally, there’s a small dot （丶）, a stroke element that often appears in kanji to balance or complete the form.

With all these components, the kanji 蔵ぞう carries the meaning of a storehouse or warehouse — a place to safely store things.

Now, let’s take it one step further with the even more complex kanji. Here, the radical にくづき （⺼） — the “flesh” radical associated with the body — is added. This transforms 蔵 (storehouse) into 臓 (organs), shifting the sense from storing objects to storing life inside the body — internal organs. With just one extra radical, the meaning shifts dramatically — from a building for storage to the organs inside our bodies.