In RTK 1, I am currently on frame 81. 貢... the two primitives that make this kanji up is craft and shellfish. I assume this is the case. What I don't understand is why Heisig puts the word money in italics (signifying a primitive) in RTK? Can this kanji also mean money. If so, what doesn't Heisig put money as one of the primitives in frame 54?

Thanks for any answers

Have you tried looking it up?

http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/srch/je/%E8%B2%A2/m0u/

Quote:こうけん【貢献】
(a) contribution貢献する contribute ((to)); make a contribution ((to)) 彼は医学界に大いに貢献したHe 「rendered grea...
こうけんする【貢献する】
contribute ((to)); make a contribution ((to)) 彼は医学界に大いに貢献したHe 「rendered great service [made a gre...
みつぎもの【貢ぎ物】
(a) tribute⇒みつぐ(貢ぐ) 貢ぎ物を納めるpay (a) tribute
みつぐ【貢ぐ】
1 〔献上する〕pay (a) tribute ((to a feudal lord))2 〔金品を贈る〕give ((a person)) financial aid 彼女は彼に給料を全部貢い...

For future reference, it is easy to find these things using Rikaisama:
http://rikaisama.sourceforge.net/

and Goo online Dictionary:
http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/
(copy and paste the kanji/word and select the 5th choice -和英- then hit "enter")

The reason as to why the primitives are named as they are, most of the time, is not for concrete meaning, but a useful image which can be used to tie into a mnemonic. This is why, as in the other thread, 乙 is "fish hook", which is visually easier to relate to than "second".

Perhaps another reading of the introduction in this book may clear some of these things up.

EDIT: As this is directly related to RTK1, it would be more suited in the sub-forum found here:
forum.koohii.com/viewforum.php?id=1

Thanks for the response....you reply cleared everything up