際 edge

(town) + 祭 (festival) Same-ON
★★★☆☆
14 strokes

Onyomi

SAI

Mnemonic

The festival of SIGHs is on the edge of town, over there.

Kunyomi

( xxx ) きわ SUFFIX attatched to a place or thing , meaning 'close to' or 'on the border or edge of' something- usually used with locations: 'I'm standing on the edge of the ocean, where it meets the shore.' It is pronounced GIWA. SUF
★☆☆☆☆

Jukugo

実際(じっさい) に

in fact ★★★★☆
実 (truth) + 際 (edge) = 実際 (in fact)

in fact. (as in, 'You think you're Samoan, but in fact, you're adopted.')

Also has the nuance of 'in practice', as opposed to 'in theory.'

xxxの 際(さい) にYYY

at the time of xxx ★★☆☆☆

"at the time of XXX, do YYY" .. . As in, 'As long as you're going to the kitchen, get me some pretzels, you crazy broad.'

Lookalikes

Meaning Hint Radical
審 judge NUMBER 番
察 police FESTIVAL 祭
際 edge TOWN
擦 chafe HAND 手

When the judge gives you a NUMBER of years in prison,

the police will have a FESTIVAL on the edge of TOWN.

Your HAND is chafing against my thigh.

Synonyms

border, edge
国境    境    境界    縁    端    末    先    外れ    際   
social status
身分    分際    階級