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: 合
Readings: あ(う)/ゴウ a/GOO
Meaning: to match; to fit
Mnemonic:
Everybody in the assembly 会 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: 冷
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 今, 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: 実
Readings: ジツ JITSU
Meaning: truth; reality
Mnemonic:
Under the roof, there are three 三 persons 人.
Usage Examples:
実は (じつは) tell you the truth
Video: Writing and pronunciation
Printed form: 世
Readings: セ SE
Meaning: world
Mnemonic:
Three tens 十十十 (generations of people) all connected. Also, it looks just like hiragana せ, 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: 難
Readings: むずか (しい) muzuka
Meaning: difficult
Mnemonic:
The most complicated kanji you have learned so far are 曜 and 漢. 難 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: 授
Readings: ジュ JU
Meaning: to grant
Mnemonic:
The hand radical on the left and the kanji 受 "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: 若
Readings: わか(い) waka
Meaning: young
Mnemonic:
The right hand 右 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: 覚
Readings: おぼ(える) obo
Meaning: to memorize
Mnemonic:
You can remember things to learn 学 better if you actually see 見 them.
Usage Examples:
覚える (おぼえる) memorize
Video: Writing and pronunciation
Printed form: 奥
Readings: おく oku
Meaning: deep inside
Mnemonic:
Big amount 大 of rice grains 米 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: 説
Readings: セツ SETSU
Meaning: theory; to narrate
Mnemonic:
The word radical 言 and self-asserting older brother 兄. [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: 色
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: 島
Readings: しま shima
Meaning: island
Mnemonic:
A rare bird 鳥 that can be seen only in the mountain 山 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: 松
Readings: まつ matsu
Meaning: pine (See also Grammar 18A Photographic Vocabulary Aid)
Mnemonic:
The tree radical 木 and the kanji 公 "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: 竹
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: 池
Readings: いけ ike
Meaning: pond
Mnemonic:
The water radical on the left and a snake 也. [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: 具
Readings: グ 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: 横
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: 存
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: 犬
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)]