介 - MEDIATORS Introduce Distant People and Bring Them Closer

Readings & Meanings:

カイ

mediate, come between, to aid

Common Usage:

...介して

自己紹介

介護

Examples:

鈴木君とは友達を介して知り合った。

自己紹介をする。

老人介護施設を訪問する。

Translations:

I got to know Suzuki through acquaintances.

I will introduce myself.

I visit a nursing home.

Radical:

The top "roof" of this kanji is actually a form of 人.

(I was surprised as well.)

Below, you see two vertical lines. These indicate two sides.

Think of a person standing between two people, introducing them and reducing the space between them.

References:

http://www.kanjinetworks.com/indices/radindex.html
http://www.thejapanesepage.com/node/kanji/ka.htm