illuminate, shine, compare, bashful
照 centers on light making things visible: illuminating or shining. The sense of comparing comes from holding something up to the light to examine it, and bashfulness is a natural extension of being exposed or brought to light.
照 combines 昭 (bright, from 日 sun and 召 call) with 灬 (fire), reinforcing the idea of light and illumination. The structure suggests making something bright by fire or sunlight.
The top 昭 (bright) and bottom 灬 (fire) together create a strong light. Imagine a bright fire illuminating everything around it, making things visible and exposing them.
For ショウ, picture a show on a brightly lit stage: show -> ショウ, and the spotlight illuminates the performer.
reference (e.g. to a dictionary, passage, footnotes); consultation; comparison
abashment; bashfulness
illumination; lighting
to shine on; to illuminate
contrast; antithesis; comparison
irradiation; radiation; beaming
sight (e.g. of a gun); aim; alignment
inquiry; query; enquiry; referral (e.g. to a doctor or court)
sunlight
check (against); collation (with); comparison; verification
sunshine; dry weather; luster; lustre
to be shy; to be bashful; to feel awkward; to feel embarrassed
to shine
Toshogu Shrine
to feel hot; to flush; to burn
(intensity of) illumination; illuminance
hiding one's embarrassment
dry weather; drought
searchlight
afterglow