ある
aru
ある isn't 'to exist' — it's 'to sit there'
The picture Something that can't move on its own, sitting quietly in a spot. Only what's sitting there changes. ある is something that can't move, resting in a place; いる is something alive, staying in a place.
Where the picture shows up in ある
-
a thing sits there
駅の前にコンビニがあります。
eki no mae ni konbini ga arimasu
There's a convenience store in front of the station.
A convenience store taking up one spot in front of the station and not moving
-
a plan sits on the calendar
明日、会議があります。
ashita, kaigi ga arimasu
I have a meeting tomorrow.
The word 'meeting' sitting written in tomorrow's row of your planner
-
words waiting to be said
ちょっとお話があるんですが。
chotto o-hanashi ga aru n desu ga
Could I have a quick word?
Words not yet let out of your mouth, sitting in your chest as one lump
A set opener before raising something; learn it whole.
-
an experience left behind
日本に行ったことがあります。
nihon ni itta koto ga arimasu
I've been to Japan before.
One trip to Japan still lying in the drawer of your memory
-
nothing in your hands
今、お金がありません。
ima, okane ga arimasen
I don't have any money right now.
Opening a wallet and finding the slot where money should sit left empty
People and animals take いる; things and events take ある.
All of it in one picture
ある is the picture of something that can't move on its own, resting quietly in a spot. A convenience store rests in its spot in front of the station; a meeting rests in tomorrow's row of the planner; unsaid words rest in your chest; one trip to Japan still lies in the drawer of memory; and in the wallet, the slot where money should rest is left empty. Only what is resting there changes — a thing, a plan, words, a memory. So ある reads less like 'I have it' than 'it is sitting in that spot'.