Kanji 21

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: リョ RYO

 

Meaning: travel

Mnemonic:
Directions and people in three different positions.

Usage Examples:
旅行 (りょこう) travel
旅館 (りょかん) Japanese-style inn

 

Video: Writing and pronunciation

Printed form:

Readings: カン KAN

Meaning: hall

Mnemonic:
A government hall for officials to eat .

Usage Examples:
図書館 (としょかん) library
大使館 (たいしかん) embassy

 

Video: Writing and pronunciation

Printed form:

Readings: と(まる)/ハク to/HAKU

Meaning: to lodge

Mnemonic:
You should stay at an inn where bath and meal are provided.

Usage Examples:
泊まる (とまる) stay (overnight)
一泊 (いっぱく) one night (of stay)
二泊三日 (にはくみっか) three-days trip

 

Video: Writing and pronunciation

Printed form:

Readings: YO

Meaning: previous; preparatory

Mnemonic:
and . Say "Ma!" [野 (の) "field"]

Usage Examples:
天気予ほう (てんきよほう) weather forecast

 

Video: Writing and pronunciation

Printed form:

Readings: ヤク YAKU

Meaning: promise

Mnemonic:
A bait on the line . [紙 (かみ) "paper"]

Usage Examples:
予約 (よやく) reservation
約そく (やくそく) promise

 

Video: Writing and pronunciation

Printed form:

Readings: マツ MATSU

Meaning: end

Mnemonic:
Big branches on a full-grown tree. as in is a small branch on a not-yet-grown tree.

Usage Examples:
週末 (しゅうまつ) weekend
月末 (げつまつ) end of a month
年末 (ねんまつ) end of a year

 

Video: Writing and pronunciation

Printed form:

Readings: あつ(い) atsu

Meaning: heat

Mnemonic:
Hot kiln at the bottom, round and made of layers of clay . [赤 (あか) "red"; 黒 (くろ) "black"]

Usage Examples:
熱い (あつい) hot (to touch)

 

Video: Writing and pronunciation

Printed form:

Readings: ベツ BETSU

Meaning: separate

Mnemonic:
Cutting up an animal on the left with a knife on the right. [利 (り) "profit"]

Usage Examples:
別々 (べつべつ) separate
別に (べつに) not especially

 

Video: Writing and pronunciation

Printed form:

Readings: MU

Meaning: non-

Mnemonic:
A pile of things burned to nothing.

Usage Examples:
無理 (むり) impossible

 

Video: Writing and pronunciation

Printed form:

Readings: おそ(い) oso

Meaning: late

Mnemonic:
That sheep in the store is expensive and slow to sell.

Usage Examples:
遅い (おそい) late

 

Video: Writing and pronunciation

Printed form:

Readings: と(る) to

Meaning: to take

Mnemonic:
Ear and hand symbol. Don't pull my ear!

Usage Examples:
取る (とる) take

 

Video: Writing and pronunciation

Printed form:

Readings: お(きる) o

Meaning: to get up

Mnemonic:
Put oneself in the motion of running .

Usage Examples:
起きる (おきる) get up
起こす (おこす) wake up someone

 

Video: Writing and pronunciation

Printed form: 宿

Readings: シュク SHUKU

Meaning: lodging

Mnemonic:
Under the roof there are hundred people . [安 (やす) "cheap"; 家 (いえ/か) "house"; 寒 (さむ) "cold"; 宅 (たく) "residence"]

 

Video: Writing and pronunciation

Printed form:

Readings: ミン MIN

Meaning: people

Mnemonic:
A group of clans .

Usage Examples:
民宿 (みんしゅく) tourist home

 

Video: Writing and pronunciation

Printed form:

Readings: サク SAKU

Meaning: last; past

Mnemonic:
The day already made .

Usage Examples:
昨日 (さくじつ/きのう) yesterday
昨年 (さくねん) last year

 

Video: Writing and pronunciation

Printed form:

Readings: カイ KAI

Meaning: floor; stairs

Mnemonic:
Everybody goes up and down these stairs.

Usage Examples:
三階 (さんがい) third floor
地下一階 (ちかいっかい) the first basement

 

Video: Writing and pronunciation

Printed form:

Readings: たす (かる) tasu(karu)

Meaning: help; aid; assistance

Usage Examples:
助けて! (たすけて) Help!
助手 (じょしゅ) assistant

 

Video: Writing and pronunciation

Printed form:

Readings: ケイ KEI

Meaning: pass; go; through

Usage Examples:
経済(けいざい) economy

 

Video: Writing and pronunciation

Printed form:

Readings: ザイ/ す (む)  ZAI / su(mu)

Meaning: relieve; help; end; finish; repay

Usage Examples:
食事を済ませる (しょくじをすませる)  finish meal

 

Video: Writing and pronunciation

Printed form:

Readings: ケン KEN

Meaning: effect; test; examine

Usage Examples:
経験 (けいけん) experience
実験 (じっけん) experiment

New Readings

KANJI READINGS
多分 (たぶん), probably
洋間 (ようま), Western-style room
気持ち (きもち), feelings
回す (まわす), transfer
回る (まわる), go around
気が付く (きがつく), notice
気を付ける (きをつける), pay attention

 

[Quizzes (JavaScript required): Meaning (33 questions) | Reading (19 questions)]

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