When “猫” fills a head
Why it is in the set
Every set of 36 needs one that is simply nice. 猫 is the one. It carries no second meaning, no irony and no edge, and when it comes out on top the result is unambiguously pleasant. That matters more than it sounds: a generator where every outcome has a sting stops being funny after three tries.
What a head full of it looks like
A specific cat, usually. Possibly not yours. Possibly one you saw on a wall. A head led by 猫 has been colonised by an animal that is not aware of it.
Words that use it
猫 (neko, a cat), 子猫 (koneko, a kitten), 猫舌 (nekojita, being unable to drink hot things — “cat tongue”), 猫背 (nekoze, a stooped back), 猫の額 (neko no hitai, a tiny space — “a cat’s forehead”).
Kanji it turns up with
休 (rest) behind 猫 is the most restful combination available. Anything stressful behind it and the quip treats the cat as the coping mechanism, which it usually is.
Where “猫” comes from
The animal radical 犭 on the left — the same one in 犬 (dog) and 狼 (wolf) — and 苗 on the right for the sound BYOU.
苗 on its own means a seedling, and has nothing to do with cats. It is there for the sound alone, which is a good reminder of how these characters work.
猫 (neko) is said to come from an old word meaning “sleeping child”, though that is folk etymology and probably not true.
A line you might get for “猫”
“A cat was seen earlier. It is still being thought about.”
Count the “猫” in your own headOthers in “Everyday”
“猫” is filed under “Everyday”. These are the rest of that group.
The 36 kanji
This is entirely a joke and has nothing to do with any real person.