Kanji 18

Each character entry below contains a ≤1 MB QuickTime movie of the character being painted with a brush, created by Prof. Saeko Komori of Chubu University. Please see the JP Net Kanji Project for more details.

In the following definitions, on (Chinese-based) readings are represented by katakana, and by capital romaji letters; kun (native Japanese-based) readings are represented by hiragana, and by lower-case romaji letters. This is a common dictionary convention, and does not have any bearing on meaning.



 

Video: Writing and pronunciation

Printed form:

Readings: あ(う)/ゴウ a/GOO

Meaning: to match; to fit

Mnemonic:
Everybody in the assembly says one uniformed opinion.

Usage Examples:
口に合う (くちにあう) suit one's taste
都合 (つごう) convenience



 

Video: Writing and pronunciation

Printed form:

Readings: さ (める)/つめ (たい) sa/tsume

Meaning: cold; to freeze

Mnemonic:
"Ice" symbolized by the two strokes on the left. Unless you drink the tea now , it will get cold. [次 (つぎ) "next"]

Usage Examples:
冷める (さめる) get cold
冷たい (つめたい) be cold



 

Video: Writing and pronunciation

Printed form:

Readings: ジツ JITSU

Meaning: truth; reality

Mnemonic:
Under the roof, there are three persons .

Usage Examples:
実は (じつは) tell you the truth



 

Video: Writing and pronunciation

Printed form:

Readings: SE

Meaning: world

Mnemonic:
Three tens 十十十 (generations of people) all connected. Also, it looks just like hiragana , doesn't it?

Usage Examples:
世話 (せわ) cares
世話になる (せわになる) become under the care (of someone)



 

Video: Writing and pronunciation

Printed form:

Readings: むずか (しい) muzuka

Meaning: difficult

Mnemonic:
The most complicated kanji you have learned so far are and . is just the combination of the parts of those characters.

Usage Examples:
難しい (むずかしい) difficult



 

Video: Writing and pronunciation

Printed form:

Readings: ジュ JU

Meaning: to grant

Mnemonic:
The hand radical on the left and the kanji "to receive". [持 (も) "to carry"; 受 (う) "to receive"]

Usage Examples:
教授 (きょうじゅ) professor
授ぎょう (じゅぎょう) class



 

Video: Writing and pronunciation

Printed form:

Readings: わか(い) waka

Meaning: young

Mnemonic:
The right hand holding young fresh grass. [花 (はな) "followers"; 茶 (チャ) "tea"; 薬 (くすり) "medicine"]

Usage Examples:
若い (わかい) young



 

Video: Writing and pronunciation

Printed form:

Readings: おぼ(える) obo

Meaning: to memorize

Mnemonic:
You can remember things to learn better if you actually see them.

Usage Examples:
覚える (おぼえる) memorize



 

Video: Writing and pronunciation

Printed form:

Readings: おく oku

Meaning: deep inside

Mnemonic:
Big amount of rice grains stored in the inner most part of the house. [米 (こめ) "rice"; 料 (リョウ) "ingredients"]

Usage Examples:
奥さん (おくさん) (your) wife



 

Video: Writing and pronunciation

Printed form:

Readings: セツ SETSU

Meaning: theory; to narrate

Mnemonic:
The word radical and self-asserting older brother . [話 (はな-す) "to speak"; 読 (よ-む) "to read"]

Usage Examples:
説明 (せつめい) explanation



 

Video: Writing and pronunciation

Printed form:

Readings: いろ iro

Meaning: color

Mnemonic:
A picture of a man sitting with his feet stretched straight and his mouth open. [勉 (ベン) "diligent"]

Usage Examples:
赤い色 (あかいいろ) red color
何色 (なにいろ) what color



 

Video: Writing and pronunciation

Printed form:

Readings: しま shima

Meaning: island

Mnemonic:
A rare bird that can be seen only in the mountain on an island.

Usage Examples:
小さい島 (ちいさいしま) small island
島田さん (しまださん) (Mr/Ms) Shimada
中島さん (なかじまさん) (Mr/Ms) Nakajima



 

Video: Writing and pronunciation

Printed form:

Readings: まつ matsu

Meaning: pine (See also Grammar 18A Photographic Vocabulary Aid)

Mnemonic:
The tree radical and the kanji "public". [校 (コウ) "school"; 林 (はやし) "forest"; 杯 (ハイ) "-cup(s)"]

Usage Examples:
古い松 (ふるいまつ) old pine tree
松田さん (まつださん) (Mr/Ms) Matsuda
小松さん (こまつさん) (Mr/Ms) Komatsu



 

Video: Writing and pronunciation

Printed form:

Readings: たけ take

Meaning: bamboo (See also Grammar 18A Photographic Vocabulary Aid)

Mnemonic:
Can you see the image of two bamboo stocks with leaves together?

Usage Examples:
竹下さん (たけしたさん) (Mr/Ms) Takeshita
大竹さん (おおたけさん) (Mr/Ms) Ootake



 

Video: Writing and pronunciation

Printed form:

Readings: いけ ike

Meaning: pond

Mnemonic:
The water radical on the left and a snake . [地 (チ) "ground"]

Usage Examples:
池の水 (いけのみず) water in the pond
池田さん (いけださん) (Mr/Ms) Ikeda
小池さん (こいけさん) (Mr/Ms) Koike



Video: Writing and pronunciation

Printed form:

Readings: GU

Meaning: equipment; tool; utensil; detail

Usage Examples:
具合 (ぐあい) condition
道具 (どうぐ) tools, implements
家具 (かぐ) furniture



Video: Writing and pronunciation

Printed form:

Readings: よこ yoko

Meaning: side

Usage Examples:
横になる (よこになる) lie down
横にする (よこにする) lay it down; put it horizontally



Video: Writing and pronunciation

Printed form:

Readings: ゾン ZON

Meaning: be; exist

Usage Examples:
ごぞんじですか。(ごぞんじですか) Do you know ~? (honorific-polite)



Video: Writing and pronunciation

Printed form:

Readings: いぬ inu

Meaning: dog

Usage Examples:
犬の世話 (いぬのせわ) taking care of dogs

New Readings

KANJI READINGS
先日 (せんじつ), the other day
楽にする (らくにする), make comfortable



 

[Quizzes (JavaScript required): Meaning (29 questions) | Reading (21 questions)]

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