Now Out: Essay 1345 on 寂 (lonely), 1 Thematic Explorations Essay, and 5 New-Monics

The 312th essay has posted! Essay 1345 on 寂 (lonely; desolate; quiet) is now available for purchase. Here's a preview:

Find out how to say everything from “I miss you a lot” and “The land became terribly desolate” to “A scream broke the silence,” “The patina creates a nice ambiance,” and “This temple garden has an elegant simplicity that is indescribable.” See why author Ryu Murakami said that Japan has become lonelier than ever, and learn what Japanese people think about wabi-sabi.

Using the accompanying game on the Character Home Page, you can practice the vocabulary in the essay after reading it. 

Also, for the first time in years I posted a Thematic Explorations essay. It's called "The Relationship Between 'M' and 'B,'" and it looks at a pattern that emerges in certain kun-yomi (e.g., reading 寂しい as either さびしい or さみしい) and certain on-yomi (such as the way people have read 漠 as both マク and バク). This essay is free!

Finally, Ulrike created the following new-monics (which are free!):

郎 (1936: male name suffix)
廊 (1938: corridor)
惑 (1942: bewildered)
阪 (2097: Osaka)
枕 (2115: pillow)