Japanese Kanji Study By Daniel Glenfield and Masashi Ogino http://www.dglenfield.co.uk http://massyoggy.spaces.live.com/ Revision 1.0 Introduction The same kanji can be read differently depending on whether it is alone, combined, or depending on the proceeding kanji. Important: As a general rule, when a kanji character is by itself we use Kun-Yomi (Japanese) but when it is with other kanji we use On-Yomi (Chinese). We have put the Chinese meaning first (in Katakana), with the Japanese reading underneath (in Hiragana) e.g. 人 is nin / jin (Chinese) then hito (Japanese) underneath. With numbers, the counting system is underneath. KANJI READING On-yomi / Kun-yomi MEANING REMINDER HINT EXAMPLES 一 二 三 四 イチ ichi ひとつ hitotsu one, first 一番 ichi ban – number one, the best 世界一 sekai ichi - the best in the world ニ ni ふたつ futatsu two, second 第二 dai ni – the second サン san みっつ mittsu three, third 三つ mittsu – third シ shi よん yon よっつ yottsu four, fourth 四つ yottsu - fourth 五 六 七 八 九 十 百 千 万 父 ゴ go いつつ itsutsu five, fifth 五つ itsutsu - fifth ロク roku むっつ muttsu six, sixth 六つ muttsu - sixth シチ shichi なな nana ななつ nanatsu ハチ hachi やっつ yattsu seven, seventh 七つ nanatsu - seventh eight, eighth 八つ yattsu - eighth ク ku キュウ kyuu ここのつ kokonotsu ジュウ jyuu とお too nine, ninth 九つ kokonotsu - nineth ten 十 too - tenth ヒャク hyaku もも momo hundred セン sen ち chi thousand マン man バン ban よろず yorozu フ fu ホ ho トウ tou ちち chichi ten thousand father お父さん otousan – a father 父の日 chichi no hi – Father’s day 母 友 女 男 人 子 日 月 ボ bo モ mo カア kaa はは haha ユウ yuu とも tomo mother お母さん okaasan – a mother 母の日 haha no hi – Mother’s day 保母 ho bo – kindergarden teacher, or a nurse 友達 tomodachi – friend(s) 友情 yuujou - friendship ジョ jo ジョ/ ニョ(zyo / nyo) おんな onna ダン dan ナン nan おとこ otoko ジン jin ニン nin ひと hito シ shi ス su こ ko woman, female looks like a woman / ironing board man, men, male rice field + power = must be strong to work in a rice field (a man). ニチ nichi ジツ jitsu ひ hi び bi か ka ガツ gatsu ゲツ getsu the sun, day friend person, people child, children, the young the moon, month looks like a child. 彼女 kanojo – her, or girlfriend 女の子 onna no ko – a girl 女優 joyuu – an actress 男女 danjo – men and women 男らしい otokorashii – manly, like a man 三人 san nin – three people 七人 shichi jin – seven people 女の人 onna no hito - woman 子猫 ko neko – kitten (child cat) 女子学生 jo shi gakusei... female student 子供 kodomo – child, children お菓子 okashi - cake ある日 aru hi – one day 毎日 mai nichi – every day 三日 mikka – 3rd day (of the month) 明日 ashita – tomorrow 今月 kon getsu – this month 月 tsuki – the moon つき tsuki 一月 ichi gatsu – January (first month) 火 カ ka ひ hi fire, light looks like flames. 水 スイ sui みず mizu water looks like a river converging (water). 木 モク moku ボク boku き ki こ ko キン kin コン kon かね (o-)kane かな kana ド do ト to つち tsuchi tree, wood a tree. gold, money digging under a hill for gold. earth, ground, soil a grounded mast. ホン hon もと moto book, tree with a root. 金 土 本 origin, root, 火事 kaji – a fire 花火 hana bi – fireworks 火花 hi bana – sparks 火山 ka zan – fire mountain 火曜日 ka youbi - Tuesday 大水 oo mizu – flood (big water) 水着 mizu gi – swimsuit 水田 suiden – rice field 木上り ki nobori – tree climbing 松の木 matsu no ki – pine tree 木曜日 moku youbi – Thursday 木村さん kimura-san – Mr. Kimura 賞金 shoukin – prize money 金曜日 kin youbi – Friday 金田 kaneda-san – Mr. Kaneda 土曜日 do youbi – Saturday 粘土 nen do – clay 土地 to chi – ground area, soil 土木 doboku – civil engineering 日本 nihon – Japan 本 hon – a book counter for long slender objects 休 キュウ kyuu やす(む) yasu(mu) rest, vacation 語 ゴ go かた(り) kata(ri) かた(る) kata(ru) word, speech, language, narration, 年 ネン nen とし toshi 午 ゴ go うま uma noon 前 ゼン zen まえ mae before, in front of, previous 後 ゴ go コウ kou のち nochi うしろ ushiro ジ ji とき toki behind, after 時 to tell, to speak year time a man resting by a tree. 夏休み natsu yasumi – Summer vacation 昼休み hiru yasumi – lunch break お休みなさい oyasuminasai – “Good night” 日本語 nihongo – Japanese 物語 mono gatari – a story, tale, legend 一年 ichi nen – one year 二年前 ni nen mae – two years ago 去年 kyo nen – last year 午前 gozen – morning 午後 gogo – afternoon 午後二時 gogo ni ji – 2 o’clock in the afternoon 名前 namae – name 前書き mae gaki – preface (before the writing) 最後 sai go – the last, the end, the conclusion 後ろ ushiro – behind 時間 jikan – time 時々 toki doki – sometimes 何時ですか nan ji desu ka – what time is it? 間 カン kan ケン ken あいだ aida ま ma interval, between, space, room, time each, every 毎 まい mai ばい bai ごとに gotoni 先 セン sen さき saki previous, ahead 今 コン kon キン kin いま ima カ ka なん nan なに nani now, the present ジョウ jou カミ kami うえ ue うわ uwa top, above, on 何 上 the sun is between the gates. 居間 ima – living room 時間 jikan – time 昼間 hiru ma - daytime 毎日 mai nichi – every day 毎朝 mai asa – every morning 毎週 mai shuu – every week what, how many the stem is above the ground. 先生 sen sei – teacher (previous life) 先日 sen jitsu – the other day お先に どうぞ o-sakini douzo – please go first 今月 kon getsu – this month 今晩は konbanwa – good evening 今度 kon do – next time 何人 ですか nan nin desu ka – how many people? 何時ですか nan ji desu ka – what time is it? 上手 jouzu – good at 上る noboru – to go up 上げる ageru – to rise つくえの 上 tsukue no ue – on the table 下 左 のぼ(る) nobo(ru) あ(がる) a(garu) あ(げる) a(geru) カ ka ゲ ge した shita しも shimo もと moto くだ(る) kuda(ru) さ(がる) sa(garu) さ(げる) sa(geru) サ sa ひだり hidari 年上 toshi ue – older, old (years) bottom, beneath, down the stem is below the ground. くつ 下 kutsu shita – socks [lit. shoes under] 下る kudaru – to go down 下車 する gesha suru – to get off 下さい kudasai – please (give, do) left looks like an ‘H’ on its side – ‘H’idari means left second symbol looks like katakana ‘ro’. ‘right’ also starts with ‘r’. the sun is behind the tree rising in the East. 左手 hidari te – left hand 左足 hidari ashi – left leg 机の左 tsukue no hidari – to the left of the desk 右目 migi me – right eye 右ページ migi pe-ji – right page (of book) 右 ウu ユウ yuu みぎ migi right 東 トウ tou ツウ tsuu ひがし higashi セイ sei サイ sai にし nishi east 西 west 中東 chuutou – the Middle East 東京 toukyou - Tokyo 西口 nishi guchi – west entrance 西ドイツ nishi Doitsu – West Germany 大西洋 tai sei you – the Atlantic 南 北 ナン nan みなみ minami south 南米 nan bei – South America 南極 nan kyoku – the South Pole ホク hoku ボク boku きた kita north 外 outside, foreign 名 ガイ gai ゲ ge そと soto ほか hoka メイ mei な na 高 コウ kou たか(い) taka(i) high, tall, 小 ショウ shou ちい(さい) chii(sai) small, little 北アメリカ kita amerika – North America 南北戦争 nan boku sen sou – US civil war (North South) 外国人 gaikoku jin – foreigner 外人 gaijin - foreigner 外国語 gaikoku go – foreign language 外で遊ぶ soto de asobu – to play outside 有名な yuumei(na) – famous 名前 namae – name 平仮名 hiragana – hiragana 最高 sai kou – the highest, the best 高校生 koukou sei – high school student 高いビル takai biru – tall building 小学校 shou gakkou – elementary school 小さい家 chiisai ie – a small house 小説 shou setsu – a novel, a story (fiction) 中 チュウ chuu なか naka inside, middle, centre, within name, fame, famous looks like a tall building costly a line goes through the middle of this kanji 一日中 ichi nichi juu – all day long 家の中 ie no naka – inside the house 勉強中 benkyou chuu – in the middle of studying 大 タイ tai / ダイ dai おお(きい) oo(kii) big, large, great 半 ハン han なかば nakaba half 分 ブン bun / フン fun / プン pun わ(ける) wa(keru) わ(かる) wa(karu) units, minutes, a part, to divide, 学 ガク gaku / カク kaku まな(ぶ) mana(bu) learning, science, to learn 校 コウ kou school 生 セイ sei ショウ shou い(きる) i(kiru) う(まれる) u(mareru) birth, life, to give birth, to live to understand a sword cutting horizontal sticks in half. 大学 dai gaku – university, college (big school) 大きい心 ookii kokoro – big heart 大会 tai kai – big convention or rally 大きな家 ooki na ie – Big house 半月 han tsuki – half a month 半月 han getsu – half moon 半島 han tou – peninsula (half island) 半分 hanbun – half 部分 bubun – a part 気分 kibun – feeling, mood 気分がよいです kibun ga yoi desu – I am feeling good 分かりました wakarimashita – I understand 科学 ka gaku – science 中学校 chuu gakkou – middle school 数学 suu gaku - math 学校 gakkou – school 高校 koukou – senior high school 校内 kou nai – within the school grounds 学生 gaku sei – a student 一生 isshou – all life, a lifetime 人生 jin sei – (human) life 先生 sen sei – teacher, master, doctor 電 デン den / テン ten いなずま inazuma electric, electricity 気 キ ki ケ ke いき iki spirit, intention, mind, 車 シャ sha くるま kuruma power, energy car, vehicle 電気 denki – electricity 電池 denchi – battery 電車 densha – train (electric car) 電話 denwa - telephone 空気 kuu ki – air, atmosphere 元気 genki – healthy, full of spirit 人気 nin ki - popularity 自転車 jitensha – bicycle 自動車 jidousha - car 国 コク koku くに kuni country, a nation 円 エン en まる(い) maru(i) yen, a circle 山 サン san / ザン zan やま yama mountain 川 セン sen かわ kawa river, stream 救急車 kyuukyuusha – ambulance 電車 densha - train 韓国 kan koku – Korea 外国 gai koku – foreign country 中国 chuu goku - China 千円 sen en – 1000 yen 円高 en daka – a high yen rate 円を書く en o kaku – to draw a circle 火山 ka zan – a volcano (fire mountain) 富士山 Fujisan – Mt. Fuji ごみの山 gomi no yama – a mountain of garbage 山下さん yamashita-san – Mr. Yamashita 川田さん kawada-san – Mr. Kawada 白 ハク haku しろ(い) shiro(i) white 天 テン ten あま ama あめ ame heaven, the sky 雨 ウu あめ ame あま ama ショ sho か(く) ka(ku) rain 見 ケン ken み(る) mi(ru) み(える) mi(eru) to see, to show 行 コウ kou ギョウ gyou to go 書 book, document 白鳥 hakuchou – Swan (white bird) 白い shiroi – white 白蟻 shiro ari – termite (white ant) 天井 tenjou – ceiling 天気 tenki – weather 天国 ten goku – heaven, paradise 天才 ten sai – genius 明日の ことを 言えば 天井で ね ずみが 笑う asu no koto o ieba tenjou de nezumi ga warau – If you talk about tomorrow the mouse in the ceiling laughs (proverb) 雨水 ama mizu – rain water 大雨 oo ame – heavy rain 小雨 ko same – light rain 書く kaku – to write 青く書く aoku kaku – to write in blue 図書館 toshoukan – library 聖書 seisho – bible (holy book) 辞書 jisho - dictionary 見る miru – to see 花見 hana mi – flower viewing 見える mieru – to be able to see, visible 意見 iken - opinion 行きましょう ikimashou – let’s go 銀行 ginkou – bank い(く) i(ku) / ゆ(く) yu(ku) 旅行 ryokou – a trip, travel 出 シュツ shutsu だ(す) da(su), で(る) de(ru) to go out, leave 出口 de guchi – exit 思い出す omoi dasu – to remember, to recollect 出来る dekiru – be able to do 出かける dekakeru – goes, comes out 入 ニュウ nyuu はい(る) hai(ru) い(る) i(ru) / い(れる) i(reru) enter, to go in, to insert 中入り naka iri – intermission (of a play) 入り口 iri guchi – entrance 手に入れる te ni ireru – to obtain, to get one’s hands on 入院 nyuuin - hospitalisation 話 ワ wa はなし hanashi はな(す) hana(su) a talk, topic, a story 聞 ブン bun モン mon き(く) ki(ku) き(こえる) ki(koeru) ジキ jiki ショク shoku く(う) ku(u) た(べる) ta(beru) to hear, listen, ask 食 eating, a meal, food the ear is between the gate and you use your ear to listen. 英会話 ei kai wa – English conversation (class) 昔話 mukashi banashi – an old tale, legend 手話 shu wa – sign language (hand talk) 新聞 shinbun – newspaper 聞いてください kiite kudasai – please listen 食べ物 tabemono – food 食べる taberu – to eat 食べたい tabetai – I want to eat 食事 shokuji – a meal 読 ドク doku よ(む) yo(mu) to read 読みやすい yomi yasui – easy to read 読書 dokusho – reading (read book/document) 読んでください yonde kudasai – please read 来 ライ rai く(る) ku(ru) / きた(る) kita(ru) to come 田 デン den た ta / だ da rice field looks like a rice field, in four parts. 門 口 モン mon a gate looks like a gate. 未来 mi rai – the future (not yet come) 来週 rai shuu – next week 来月 rai getsu – next month 出来る dekiru – to be able to do 田中さん tanaka-san – Mr. Tanaka 山田さん yamada-san – Mr. Yamada 水田 suiden – rice field 田舎 inaka – countryside, rural area, hometown 門 mon – a gate 専門 senmon – speciality コウ kou くち kuchi / ぐち guchi シ shi わたし watashi / わたくし watakushi a mouth, looks like a mouth. リョク ryoku リキ riki power 私 力 an exit, an entrance private 人口 jinkou – population 出口 de guchi – exit 入り口 iri guchi – entrance 私立大学 shiritsu daigaku – private university 仮面ライダーは 私です ka men raidawa watashi desu – I am the Masked Rider. 水力 sui ryoku – water power 火力 ka ryoku – fire power ちから chikara 力学 riki gaku – dynamics 協力 kyouryoku - cooperation 夢の力 yume no chikara – The power of dreams. 何人 nan nin – how many people? 何ですか nan desu ka – what is it? なに nani / なん nan what ? タイ tai からだ karada body, 好 コウ kou す(き) su(ki) love, like, favourite a mother loves a child. 林 リン rin はやし hayashi wood, grove two trees make a wood 森 シン shin もり mori forest, jungle three trees make a forest 何 体 a man’s origin is his body. object 体力 tai ryoku – physical strength 体育 tai iku – physical education (P.E.) 体 karada – a body 肉体疲労 niku tai hi rou – be exhausted (body) 体育館 tai iku kan – a gym 後で体育館の 後ろで会いましょう ato de taiikukan no ushiro de aimashou – Later, let’s meet behind the gym. 頭の体操 atama no tai sou – exercising the mind 魚は好きです sakana wa suki desu – I like fish 好物 koubutsu – one’s favourite food 林業 ringyou – forestry 林 hayashi – a wood 小林さん kobayashi-san – Mr. Kobayashi 森田さん morita-san – Mr. Morita 森林 shinrin – Woods and forests 畑 はたけ hatake はた hata cultivated field fire + rice field = burnt (cultivated) field. 岩 ガン gan いわ iwa rock a stone by a mountain is a rock. 目 モク moku め me eye, looks like an eye (vertically). 耳 手 ジ ji みみ mimi ear could be an ear (use your imagination). シュ shu て te hand looks like a hand 足 ソク soku あし ashi た(りる) ta(riru) leg, pair, looks like a man with a very long leg. チク chiku たけ take bamboo 竹 item suffice two bamboo sticks. 畑 hatake – a cultivated field 田畑 ta hata – fields of rice and crops 花畑 hana batake – a flower garden 岩田さん iwata-san – Mr. Iwata 岩石 ganseki – rocks and stones 火山岩 ka zan gan – volcanic rock 目上 me ue – one’s superiors 目下 me shita – one’s inferiors 目 me – an eye 目次 moku ji – table of contents 目的 moku teki – a purpose はつ 耳です hatsu mimi desu – “That’s the first time I’ve heard of that” 歌手 ka shu – a singer 上手な jouzu-na – skillful, good at 下手な heta-na – unskilled, not good at 手紙 tegami – letter 切手 kitte – stamp 助手 joshu – an assistant (lit. help hand) 足りる tariru – to be enough 足す tasu – to add 二足 ni soku – two pairs 不足 fu soku – a shortage 竹田さん Takeda-san – Mr. Takeda 竹の子 take no ko – a bamboo shoot マイ mai ベイ bei ごめ gome rice, 貝 石 かい kai shellfish looks like a crustacean (big shell, little legs). セキ seki いし ishi stone a stone (square) is in the picture. 花 カ ka はな hana flower 茶 チャ cha サ sa tea 米 America 米国 bei koku – America 北米 hoku bei – North America 南米 nan bei – South America 中米 chuu bei – Central America 貝殻 kaigara – a shell 真珠貝 shinjugai – pearl oyster 石川さん Ishikawa-san – Mr. Ishikawa 石や seki-ya – petroleum 化石 ka seki – a fossil 花 hana - a flower 花火 hanabi - fireworks 花びん kabin - a vase 茶 cha - tea 日本茶 Nihon cha - green tea 紅茶 koucha - black tea 喫茶店 kissaten - a coffee shop 茶色 chairo – brown (tea colour) 肉 ニク niku flesh, meat hangars at an abattoir for meat. 文 ブン bun モン mon ふみ fumi pattern, a man crossing his legs reading a book (containing a sentence) letter, sentence, literature 鳥肉 tori niku - Chicken 牛肉 gyuu niku – Beef 魚肉 gyo niku – fish meat 肉体 niku tai – Body 文 bun - a sentence 文学 bun gaku – literature 文字 moji – letter or character 文化 bunka - culture 字 ジ ji letter, character 物 ブツ butsu モツ motsu もの mono a thing, matter, object (non-human) 牛 ギュウ gyuu うし ushi cattle, cow, bull, ox letters are associated with learning, and this looks like gaku. a bull with one horn. 文部科学省 mon bu ka gaku shou Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology この文章の 構造が どうなっている か 分かりますか kono bun shou no kou zou ga dou natte iru ka wakarimasu ka – Do you understand the structure of this sentence? 字 ji - a letter or character 文字 mo ji / mon ji - a letter 漢字 kanji - kanji 数字 suuji - a number 買い物 kaimono – shopping 品物 shinamono - goods 生物 sei butsu – a living creature 荷物 ni motsu – baggage 物語 mono gatari – a story, tale, legend 飲み物 nomimono – a drink 好物 kou butsu – favourite 動物 dou butsu – animal 果物の 中で 何が 一番好きですか kudamono no naka de nani ga ichiban suki desu ka – Among all fruit which do you like best? 子牛 ko ushi – a calf (child cattle) 牛乳 gyuu nyuu – cow’s milk 馬 バ ba うま uma horse a galloping horse. 鳥 チョウ chou とり tori bird the kanji for white 白 (shiro(i)) is included making this a white bird. 馬車 ba sha – a carriage 馬力 ba riki – horsepower 馬肉 ba niku – horse meat 焼き鳥 yaki tori – roast chicken 白鳥 haku chou – a swan 野鳥 ya chou – wild bird 南から鳥が飛んできました minami kara tori ga tonde kimashita – The birds came from the south. 一石 二鳥 isseki nichou – two birds with one stone 魚 ギョ go さかな sakana fish 羊 猿 猫 ひつじ hitsuji sheep さる saru monkey ねこ neko cat 犬 豚 ケイ kei いぬ inu dog ぶた buta pig a fish is caught by a hook 魚や sakana-ya – fish shop 焼き魚 ya ki zakana – grilled fish 金魚 kingyo – goldfish the rice field looks like a mat. The cat sat on the mat! 猫の子 neko no ko – kitten 子犬を飼った ko inu o katta – I got a puppy (katta used to mean ‘raise’). 象 ぞう zou elephant two big (square) ears and a curved trunk make an elephant. -i Adjectives Kanji + i KANJI READING On-yomi / Kun-yomi MEANINGS REASONING FOR MEANING EXAMPLES 古い コ ko ふる(い) furu(i) old churches are old. 古い furui – old 古くない furukunai – not old 古かった furukatta – was old 古くなかった furukunakatta – was not old 古くなります furuku narimasu – becomes old (adverb) 古くて安い furukute yasui – old and cheap (combining adjectives) 古い本 furui hon – an old book 古本 furu hon – a used book 中古車 chuu ko sha – a second hand car 長い チョウ chou なが(い) naga(i) long, eldest, chief 長い nagai – long 長男 chou nan – the eldest son 学長 gaku chou – a (university / school) president 校長先生 kou chou sensei – principal, headmaster (leader of teachers) 社長 sha chou – Company president 長い道 nagai michi – a long road 短い mijikai – short 短時間 tan jikan – a short time 短大 tan dai – a junior college 高校 kou kou – a high school 高速 kou soku – high speed 高橋 Takahashi – Japanese surname 安売り (yasu u) ri – a bargain sale 安心 する an shin suru – to be relieved 安全な anzen na - safe 低温 tei on – low temperature 低下 する tei ka suru – to fall down, to go down 暗い kurai – dark 暗室 an shitsu – a dark room 短い タン tan みじか(い) mijika(i) short (distance) 高い コウ kou たか(い) taka(i) tall / Expensive looks like a tall building. 安い アン an やす(い) yasu(i) cheap, safe a woman inside a building is cheap? 低い テイ tei ひく(い) hiku(i) low (height) 暗い 多い 重い アン an くら(い) kura(i) dark, gloomy, depressing タta おお(い) ooi() many, much 多少 ta shou – more or less 多数 ta suu – a large number ジュウ juu チョウ chou おも(い) omoi えe かさ(なる) kasa(naru) かさ(ねる) kasa(neru) heavy 重い omoi – heavy 重くない omokunai – not heavy 重かった omokatta – was heavy 重くなかった omokunakatta – was not heavy 貴重 ki chou – precious, valuable 重点 juu ten – important point 軽い 近い かる(い) karu(i) light, easy キン kin ちか(い) chika(i) near, early 遠い 悪い とお(い) too(i) far アク aku わる(い) waru(i) bad, evil 早い fast, early ソウ sou はや(い) haya(i) はや(まる) haya(maru) はや(める) haya(meru) 近郊 kinkou – suburbs, outskirts 近所 kinjo - neighbourhood (near place) 近状 kinjou – recent condition 最近 saikin – recently, latest, newest 最近天気が悪い saikin tenki ga warui – Lately the weather has been bad. 最近、台風が 多いです saikin, taifuu ga ooi desu – Lately, there have been many typhoons. looks like an anchor on top of the Kanji for heart. When you do something bad it should weigh on your heart (feel bad). looks like a stick man and a stick man is fast. 最悪 sai aku – worst case, the worst 悪魔 akuma – devil, demon 罪悪 zai aku – crime, sin 最近天気が悪い saikin tenki ga warui – lately the weather has been terrible. 早起き haya oki – early riser, getting up early 早速 sassoku – immediately, at once 早咲き haya saki – early blooming この浅い湾で、潮が 早く差す kono asai wan de, shio ga hayaku sasu – In this 明るい メイ mei ミョウ myou あか(るい) aka(rui) あ(ける) a(keru) bright, lively, cheerful sun + moon = bright shallow bay, the tide comes up quickly. 早める hayameru – to hasten, bring forward (not accelerate – 速める) 明るい aka(rui) – bright, cheerful 明らか(な) akiraka(na) - obvious 明ける a(keru) to break (to dawn) 説明 setsumei – explanation 明治時代 mei ji ji dai – Meji era 文明 bun mei – civilization 明細 mei sai – particulars, details, specifics -shii Kanji + shii 新しい シン shin あたら(しい) atara(shii) 新しい atarashii – new 新しくない atarashikunai – not new 新しかった atarashikatta – was new 新しくなかった atarashikunakatta – was not new new 新しく買います atarashiku kaimasu – newly buy (adverb) 新しくて高い atarashikute takai – new and expensive (combining adjectives) 新しくなかった車 atarashikunakatta kuruma – it was not a new car 楽しい ガク gaku ラク raku たの(しい) tano(shii) たの(しむ) tano(shimu) enjoyment looks like a microphone on a stage that someone has enjoyed singing in to. 新聞 shinbun – newspaper 新年 shin nen – a new year 楽しみます tanoshimimasu – to enjoy 音楽 ongaku – music 快楽 kairaku - pleasure 快楽主義 kairaku shu gi - Hedonism 快楽しか 求めない人も居る kairaku shika motomenai hito mo iru – there are people who seek only pleasure. 正しい セイ sei ショウ shou ただ(しい) tada(shii) ただ(す) tadasu まさ masa correct, right, justice 美しい 忙しい 素晴ら しい うつく(しい) utsuku(shii) beautiful いそが(しい) isoga(shii) busy すばら(しい) subara(shii) wonderful, superb if you stop 止 to think about it you will get it right 正義 seigi – justice, righteousness 正月 shou gatsu – new year 改正 kai sei – revision; amendment 正解 sei kai – correct (answer) 公正 kou sei – fairness, impartiality 更正 kou sei – correction, revision 正座 sei za – sit (or squat) straight 正しかった です か tadashikatta desu ka – Was that correct? 毎日 忙しい です mai nichi isogashii desu – Every day I am busy -na Adjectives Kanji + na 静かな 穏やか な 真っ暗 な 微かな 妙な 簡単な 平穏な しずか(な) shizukana quiet 静かな 公園 です ね shizukana kouen desu ne – It is a quiet park isn’t it? おだやか(な) odayaka(na) calm あの 人は 穏やか です ano hito wa odayaka desu – That person is calm 馬鹿な まっくら(な) makkura(na) 真っ暗な makkura(na) – pitch black 真っ黒 makkuro(na) – jet black ビ bi かすか(な) kasuka(na) faint, vague, microscopic 微光写真 bikou shashin – low-light photography みょうな myou(na) strange 妙に myouni – strangely... かんたんな kantan(na) simplistic 試験は 簡単でした shiken wa kantan deshita – The test was easy (simple) へいおんな peaceful ばかな stupid 平穏で 静かな 公園 です heion de shizukana kouen desu – A peaceful and quiet park 場かな 質問 bakana shitsumon – a stupid question a stupid person could not tell the difference between a horse 馬 (uma) and a deer 鹿 (shika) 重要な じゅうような important 重要な 書類 jyuuyouna shorui – an important document More Adjectives Kanji + others 少ない 少し ショウ shou すく(ない) sukunai すこ(し) sukoshi few, little Kanji for small (chiisai) 少し sukoshi – a little, a few is in this kanji character 少年 shou nen – a boy (few, little). 少女 shou jo – a girl JLPT Level 3 Kanji 心 回 青 しん shin こころ kokoro カイkai / エ e まわ(る) mawa(ru) まわ(す) mawa(su) セイ sei ショウ shou あお(い) ao(i) heart, mind, (relating to) emotion turn the long line is the heart and the short lines are the blooooooood. any way you turn it, it is still a square in a square. blue 赤 セキ seki シャク shaku あか(い) aka(i) red the Kanji for earth is above, and underneath is the red fiery lava rising up 秋 シュウ shuu あき aki autumn, fall (season) in the fall leaves have the colour of fire. 開 カイ kai あ(ける) a(keru) to open through an open door we can see a Shinto gate in the distance. 安心 an shin – relief, peace of mind 遠回り too mawari – detour 青空 ao zora – blue skies 青森県 aomori ken – Aomori Prefecture (northern Japan) 青色 ao iro – blue colour 赤道 seki dou – equator 赤字 aka ji – deficit, go in the red, red letters 赤ちゃん aka chan – baby, infant 今月は赤字です kon getsu wa akaji desu – this month we are in the red 秋ぶんの ひ shuu bun no hi – autumn equinox holiday (September) 秋ば しょ aki ba sho – autumn sumo tournament ドアを開けて ください doa o akete kudasai – please open the door 全開 zen kai – full throttle, all the way 開港 kai kou – open port, treaty port 再開 sai kai – re-opening, resumption 朝 チョウ chou あさ asa morning, dawn a car driving the moon away (morning) 味 ミ mi あじ aji あじ(わう) aji(wau) taste, experience open your mouth to taste a tree top 集 シュウ shuu あつ(まる) atsu(maru) to collect, to gather my aerial is on top of the tree (gathering signals) 兄 ケイ kei キョウ kyou あに ani シ shi あね ane older brother the top part looks like an eye. big brother is watching you! older sister my older sister 市(ichi) works at the market ホ ho フ fu ある(く) aru(ku) to walk, to step 一歩一歩 ippo ippo – step by step, little the top part is to stop 止 (tomeru) and the bottom by little is little 少(し), so when 散歩 sanpo - walking you walk a little you have 姉 歩 朝日新聞 Asahi shinbun – Asashi newspaper 朝刊 Chou kan – Morning edition (of a newspaper) 朝ごはん asa gohan – breakfast 毎朝 会社に 自転車で 行きます mai asa kaisha ni jitensha de ikimasu – Every morning I go to the office by bicycle 趣味 shumi - hobby 意味 imi – meaning 味見 aji mi – taste testing 隠し味 kakushi aji – hidden taste 編集 hen shuu – editing (newspaper, book) 採集 sai shuu – collecting, gathering 兄弟 kyou dai – brothers 姉妹 shi mai - sisters 姉妹都市 shi mai to shi – sister cities あゆ(む) ayu(mu) to stop a little also. 有 ユウ yuu あ(る) ar(u) to have, to exist (inanimate object) you have a month 月 (getsu) to do something 医 イi to heal, to cure a person lying in bed with a bandage being healed. 意 イi mind, heart, your mind and heart (bottom) are standing to attention (top part looks like legs standing). attention 一歩一歩日本語を勉強してください ippo ippo nihongo o benkyou shite kudasai – please study Japanese little by little. 固有 ko yuu – characteristic, inborn 有効 yuu kou – effective, valid 有罪 yuu zai – guilt, guiliness 有名(な) yuumei(na) – famous 医者 isha – doctor 歯科医 shikai – dentist 医師 ishi – doctor, surgeon 注意 chuui – attention, caution 意見 iken – opinion, view 意味 imi – meaning 意識 ishiki – consciousness, awareness 用意 youi – preparation 厚意 koui – kindness (better to use 好意 – same spelling different Kanji) 殺意 satsui – intent to kill 危ないから、注意してください abunai kara, chuui shite kudasai – since it is dangerous, please be careful. 山田さんの 意見に 全く賛成だ Yamada-san no iken ni mattaku sansei da – I am in complete agreement with Mr. Yamada. 以 イi more, with, through, on account of 家 カ ka ケ ke いえ ie うち uchi house 急 キュウ kyuu いそ(ぐ) iso(gu) to hurry 以上 ijou – more than or at least 以下 ika – less than or at most 以外 igai – except, outside of 以降 ikou – on and after, hereafter, thereafter 月曜日以外、毎日勉強します getsuyoubi igai, mainichi benkyou shimasu – except for Monday, I study everyday. the top part is a roof, while the bottom is a pig. You keep pigs at home. 家族 ka zoku - Family fish are always in a hurry because their hearts 心 (kokoro) beat too fast. 急行 kyuukou – Express Train 借家 shaku ya – rental, rented house 恐妻家 kyou sai ka – a henpecked husband 家財 ka zai – houshold effects (goods) 古い家に住んでいます furui ie ni sunde imasu – I live in an old house. 借家を探しています shakuya o sagashite imasu – I am looking for a place to rent. ほとんどの作家は批評に敏感である hotondo no sakka wa hihyou ni binkan de aru – Most writers are sensitive to criticism. 急(な) kyuu(na) - sudden 妹 マイ mai いもうとimouto younger sister 色 ショク shoku シキ shiki いろ iro colour little girls (younger sister) like to play outside, hence the tree. fishing hooks are colourful to attract fish. 姉妹 shimai – sisters 姉妹都市 shimai to shi – sister cities 青色 ao iro – blue colour 灰色 hai iro – grey colour 黄緑色 kimadori iro – yellow-green (peagreen) 黄色 ki iro – yellow 茶色 chairo – brown (tea colour) 音 オン on イン in おと oto ね ne sound if you stand on the sun you will make a lot of sound. 員 院 動 イン in member, official an official is just a shell with a mouth. イン in institution, academy ドウ dou うご(く) ugo(ku) to move 音読み on yomi – the ‘Chinese’ reading of a Kanji (by sound) 音階 on kai – Musical scale 雑音 zatsu on – noise, jamming, interference, grating 委員 i in – committee member 職員 shoku in – staff 参議院 san gi in – House of Councilors 病院 byouin – hospital car plus power = moving. 移動 i dou – move, transfer 動物 dou butsu – animal 動物園 dou butsu en – zoo 活動 katsu dou – action, activity 私には政治活動に従事する暇はない – watashi ni wa seijikatsudou ni juujisuru hima wa nai – I don’t have time to get involved in political activity. 歌 写 カ ka うた uta うた(う) uta(u) シャ sha うつす utsu(su) a song, to sing a person on the right singing into karaoke boxes on the left. 短歌 tan ka – Tanka poem (a 31 syllable Japanese poem) to copy, to take (a photo) someone is moving the camera to take a photo of the number ‘5’. Final Fantasy – person is casting Reflect in front of them. 写真 shashin – photograph, picture 映 エイ ei うつ(す) utsu(su) うつ(る) utsu(ru) to be reflected, to project onto a screen 海 カイ kai うみ umi sea, ocean the three marks on the left mean ‘water’ and the other symbol means ‘every’. Every water comes from the ocean. 売 バイ bai う(る) u(ru) う(り) u(ri) ウン un はに(ぶ) hani(bu) sale, to sell looks like a man standing behind a counter in his shop, selling. carry, a man carrying a car home that he has won (because he is lucky). 運 luck 今度映画を見に行きませんか kondo eiga o mi ni ikimasen ka – next time, why don’t we (go and see) a movie? 今度映画を見ましょう kondo eiga o mimashou – next time, let’s see a movie. 北海道 hokkaidou – Hokkaido (northern Japanese island) 海外 kai gai - overseas, abroad 黄海 kou kai – the Yellow Sea 公海 kou kai – the high seas, international waters 航海 kou kai – voyage, ocean navigation 紅海 kou kai – the Red Sea 読売新聞 yomi uri shinbun – Yomiuri Newspaper 運河 un ga – canal 運命 un mei – fate, destiny 安全運転 an zen unten – safe driving 幸運 kou un – good fortune, good luck 重いので、運べない omoi node, hakobenai – since it is heavy, I can’t lift it. エイ ei ヨウ you はなぶさ hanabusa England, English, 終 シュウ shuu シュ shu お(わる) o(waru) お(える) o(eru) end, finish Winter is the ending thread of the year. 起 キ ki コ ko get up, wake up running at 2 in the morning makes you wake 英 grand the top part of the Kanji is grass (tea) which the English drink a lot of. 英会話 ei kai wa – English conversation 石英 seki ei – quartz (grand stone) 英訳 ei yaku – English translation 英雄的 ei yuu teki – heroic 四年生は まだ英語が 分からない yon nen sei wa mada eigo ga wakaranai – 4th graders don’t understand English yet. 彼は英語教師としての 資格がある kare wa eigo kyoushi toshite no shikaku ga aru – He is qualified as an English teacher. 最終 sai shuu – last, final 終電 shuu den – last train (for the night) 終了 shuu ryou – end, termination この番組が 終わったら、寝ましょう kono bangumi ga owattara, nemashou – after this (TV) program ends, let’s go to sleep. トランスフォーマーズを 見終わった ら、会社に 持って来ます toransufoma-zu o mi owattara, kaisha ni motte kimasu – When I have finished watching Transformers I will bring [it] to the office 早起き haya oki – early riser, getting up early お(きる) o(kuru) お(こす) o(kosu) お(こる) o(koru) 一念発起 ichi nen hokki – to be resolved to do something 朝の六時に 起きました asa no roku ji ni okimashita – I woke up at 6 this morning. a roof starts from the 本屋 hon-ya – book shop ground up 部屋 heya – room (in a house) 靴屋 kutsu-ya – shoe shop 屋根 ya ne – roof Mr. Yen is running away 衛星放送 ei sei hou sou – satellite (people sending money) broadcasting 生放送 nama hou sou – live broadcast (radio, TV) 送金 sou kin – sending (transferring) money 再放送 sai hou sou – rebroadcasting 送料込み sou ryou komi – shipping (charges) included child gets smacked by the 教会 kyou kai – church adult (teaching) キリスト教 kirisuto kyou – Christianity 宗教 shuu kyou – religion 教育 kyou iku – education 教科書 kyou ka sho – textbook 教材 kyou zai – teaching materials (aids) 教師 kyou shi – teacher, instructor 新しい住所を 教えてください atarashii juusho o oshiete kudasai – Please up 屋 オク oku や ya roof, house, shop 送 ソウ sou ス su おく(る) oku(ru) send 教 キョウ kyou おし(える) oshi(eru) おそ(わる) oso(waru) teach, education, faith 弟 テイ tei おとうと otouto younger brother a lot of younger brothers have a bow and arrows 同 ドウ dou おな(じ) ona(ji) same, agree, equal 主 シュ shu ス su ぬし nushi おも omo Lord, master, the principal matter when everyone agrees they have one 一 mouth 口 the Lord is above a king 王 (ou) 思 シ shi おも(う) omo(u) think 親 シン shin おや oya した(しい) shita(shii) parent, relative, familiar a lot of thinking can be done in one’s heart 心 (kokoro) in a rice field 田 (den) being close to someone (relative, familiar) requires looking closely at them (miru 見る). tell (teach) me your new address. 彼は 英語教師としての 資格がある kare wa eigo kyoushi toshite no shikaku ga aru – He is qualified as an English teacher. 兄弟 kyou dai - brothers 師弟 shi tei – master and pupil; teacher and student 混同 kon dou – confusion, mixing 賛同 san dou – approval, endorsement 民主主義 min shu shu gi – democracy 快楽主義 kai raku shu gi – Hedonism 主人公 shu jin kou – master, hero, heroine 印象主義 in shou shu gi – impressionism (art) 主人 shujin – husband, the owner 七不思議 nana fu shi gi – the seven wonders of the world 父親 chichi oya – father 親指 oya yubi – thumb アメリカから両親が来ます amerika kara ryou shin ga kimasu – My parents are coming from America. 立っているもの、親でも使え tatte iru mono, oya demo tsukae – “Whoever is standing, even if a parent, can be used (to get things)” (a traditional saying). 彼は両親に よって塾へ 行くことを 強制された kare wa ryou shin ni yotte juku e iku koto o kyou sei sareta – His parents forced him to go to a cram school. 夏休み natsu yasumi – Summer vacation 夏 画 カ ka なつ natsu Summer in Summer you get hundreds 百 of friends 友 ガ ga かく kaku えがく egaku picture 界 カイ kai さかい sakai world 帰 キ ki かえ(る) kae(ru) かえ(す) kae(su) return, arrive at 代 ダイ dai タイ tai か(える) ka(eru) generation, 絵画 kai ga – picture, painting 計画 kei kaku – plan 画賛 ga san – legend (text) on a picture 今度映画を 見に 行きませんか kondo eiga o mini ikimasen ka – Next time, why don’t we (go and see) a movie? feed the world using a 界 sakai - world rice field 田 (den) 世界 se kai – the world 世界一 se kai ichi – the best in the world looks like a man 帰国 ki koku – return to one’s own returning to his home country (entering the front door). 国へ帰ります kuni e kaerimasu – I am returning to my own country. a dog with a broken leg is 時代 ji dai - era, the times, generation behind the times and the 古代 ko dai - ancient times price to fix it is 明治時代 mei ji ji dai - Meji era price, looks like a picture of a rice field hung up on the wall. か(わる) ka(waru) しろ shiro よ yo expensive. age, exchange, substitute フウ fuu かぜ kaze wind, air, 貸 カ ka か(す) ka(su) lend 方 ホウ kou かた kata person, 風 紙 通 シ shi かみ kami ツウ tsuu とお(る) too(ru) とお(す) too(su) style an insect 虫 (mushi) is hiding under a tent because it is windy. kanji for “buy” 買 (kau) is paired with “generation” 代 (dai) to show money going from one person to another (lending). looks like a person running in a direction. 貸す kasu – to lend paper is made of threads 糸(ito) of wood 折り紙 origami – origami (paper folding) 手紙 tegami – letter (lit. hand-paper) way, direction paper go through, avenue, traffic 時代錯誤 ji dai saku go - anachronism, being behind the times 交代 kou tai - take turns, relieve (a person) 電話代 denwadai – telephone charge 最近、台風が 多いです sai kin, taifuu ga ooi desu – lately, there have been many typhoons. 風 kaze – a cold, wind 風をじみです kaze o jimi desu – I have a cold. 方言 hou gen – dialect 夕方 yuugata - evening 方向 hou kou – direction, bearing, course 平方根 hei hou kon – square root (math) 交通 kou tsuu – traffic; transportation この道路は 交通が少ない kono dou ro wa kou tsuu ga sukunai – Traffic is light on this road. かよ(う) kayo(u) 借 シャク shaku か(りる) ka(riru) borrow, rent 漢 カン kan China 館 カン kan やかた yakata palace, building 元 ゲン gen ガン gan もと moto コウ kou かんが(える) kanga(eru) beginning, origin it has two legs going back to the beginning thought, think, consider someone is striking the ground 土 (do) by thinking. at the top is the character for sheep 羊 and you wear clothes made from wool. 考 着 チャク chaku き(る) ki(ru) き(せる) ki(seru) つ(く) tsu(ku) つ(ける) tsu(keru) wear (clothes), arrive a person (left radical) borrows things during the day 日 (ni) China is across the ocean, so the three marks on the left mean ‘water’. a government 官 (kan) building has a place to eat 食べる (taberu) 借家 shaku-ya – rented, rented house 図書館 toshokan – library 体育館 tai iku kan – a gym 後で体育館の 後ろで会いましょう ato de taiikukan no ushiro de aimashou – Later, let’s meet behind the gym. 元気 genki – healthy, strong, fine お元気ですか o-genki desu ka – How are you? 参考 san kou - reference, consultation 着る kiru – wear 着く tsuku – to arrive 水着 mizu gi – swim suit, bathing suit 上着 uwagi – jacket, coat 到着 touchaku – arrival 究 キュウ kyuu きわ(める) kiwa(meru) research, study researching six and nine. 彼は 研究の 対象を 拡大した kare wa kenkyuu no taishou o kakudai shita – He expanded the focus of his research. 去 キョ kyo コ ko さ(る) sa(ru) キョウ kyou ケイ kei みやこ miyako past, gone, it is a boat with the sail going past 去年 kyo nen – last year looks like a tall building, like you might see in a capital city. 東京 toukyou - Tokyo 京都 kyouto – Kyoto 強 キョウ kyou ゴウ gou つよ(い) tsuyo(i) つよ(まる) tsuyo(maru) つよ(める) tsuyo(meru) し(いる) shi(iru) strong 業 ギョウ gyou ゴウ gou わざ waza セツ sei サイ sai き(る) ki(ru) き(れる) ki(reru) business, vocation a big fancy Mr.Yen, and business gets you lots of money. cut, cut off seven 七 swords 刀 cut better than one 鉱業 kou gyou – mining (industry) 残業 zan gyou – overtime 卒業 sotsugyou – graduation 大切 taisetsu – important 親切 shinsetsu – kind, helpful 電池が 切れました denchi ga kiremashita – The battery is dead. 京 切 to leave capital 過去 kako – past 東京は いくつ目の 駅ですか toukyou wa ikutsu me no eki desu ka – How many stations until Tokyo? a bow on the left, and 勉強 benkyou – study (looks like) a man’s face 強制 kyousei – coercion on the right. a strong man 一歩一歩日本語を 勉強してください can use a bow. ippo ippo nihongo o benkyou shite kudasai – Please study Japanese little by little. 銀 ギン gin しろがね shirogane silver 工 黒 計 コウ kou ク ku construction, craft コク koku くろ(い) kuro(i) black ケイ kei はか(る) haka(ru) はか(らう) haka(rau) plan, measure 研 ケン ken と(ぐ) to(gu) study of, 建 ケン ken た(つ) ta(tsu) た(てる) ta(teru) 験す ケン ken ため(す) tame(su) sharpen build testing, test, examine, effect metal on the left, right symbol looks kind of like a silver spoon looks like an I beam for construction 銀行 ginkou – bank the sun 日 is burning the ground 土 black planning and measuring takes talk 白黒 shiro kuro - white and black sharpen your study of rocks 石 (ishi) 細工 saiku – work, craftmanship 工場 koujou – factory, plant 目覚まし時計 me zamashi do kei – alarm clock 計画 keikaku – plan 計算 keisan – computation, calculation 気圧計 kiatsukei – barometer 時計 tokei – clock 研究 kenkyuu – study, research there is a number ‘3’ on the left, and on the right is part of ‘book’. You need three books to build a house 再建 sai ken – reconstruction, rebuilding 建設 ken setsu – construction そのビルは 未だ 建設中です sono biru wa imada kensetsu chuu desu – That building is still under construction. looks like a person standing by a desk (on the left) with a high board because he is taking a test 試験 shiken – test 試験管 shikenkan – test tube 試験まで 後 一週間 shiken made ato ishuukan – There is one week before the test. それは まだ 実験段階に あります sore wa mada jikkendankai ni arimasu – It is still in the experimental stage. 広 試 答 事 コウ kou ひろ(い) hiro(i) ひろ(がる) hiro(garu) ひろ(げる) hiro(geru) ひろ(まる) hiro(maru) ひろ(める) hiro(meru) シ shi ため(す) tame(su) こころ(みる) kokoro(miru) トウ tou こた(え) kota(e) こた(える) kota(eru) ジ ji ズ zu こと koto wide, broad, spacious there is a lot of space around this kanji 広告 kou koku – advertisement この道は 広いです kono michi wa hiroi desu – This road is wide. 知識を 広める chishiki o hiromeru – To widen one’s knowledge. test, try, examine saying words 言 (iu) during a ceremony 式 (shiki) makes an experiment “Who designed your TShirt?” and I answered “Two pidgeons on a rooftop”!!! 試験 shiken – test, examine answer, solution thing, matter, business, fact 応答 する outou suru – to respond 故事 koji – tradition, historical fact, origin 事故 jiko – accident, trouble 自分の 才能を 生かせるような仕事 を したい jibun no sainou o ikaseru you na shigoto o shitai – I want to do work that will make the most of my abilities. 五日 たてば 仕事が 完了するだろ う itsuka tateba shigoto ga kanryou suru darou – We should complete this job in five days. テン ten ころ(ぶ) koro(bu) ころ(がす) koro(gasu) ころ(がる) koro(garu) ころ(げる) koro(geru) サク saku サ sa つく(る) tsuku(ru) revolve, turn around you need space 広い 自転車 jitensha – bicycle (hiroi) to turn your car 車 安全 運転 an zen unten – safe driving (kuruma) around 転換 tenkan – convert make, prepare, produce the mark to the left イ represents a person, so someone who is making something 工作 kou saku – handcraft, manoeuvring 耕作 kou saku - cultivate, till, plow 作品 sakuhin – creation, opus ほとんどの作家は批評に敏感である hotondo no sakka wa hihyou ni binkan de aru – Most writers are sensitive to criticism. 止 シ shi と(まる) to(maru) と(める) to(meru) やめる ya(meru) stop looks like a road block which makes you stop 立ち入り禁止 tachi iri kin shi - do not enter 喫煙の 習慣を 止めることが でき たらいいね kitsuen no shuukan o yamerukoto ga dekitara ii ne – It’d be nice if I could kick my smoking habit. 自 ジ ji シ shi みずか(ら) mizuka(ra) self, oneself it is the kanji ‘me’目 (eye) but with an eyebrow which means ‘Me’ 自分 jibun – oneself, myself 転 作 自白 jihaku – confession (self + white = “I come clean”) 自転車 jitensha – bicycle 自動車 jidousha - car 自首 jishu – surrender, give oneself up 自己紹介 ji ko shou kai – selfintroduction 仕 シ shi つか(える) tsuka(eru) serve, work (serve) until you die (grave). official, attend die, death 死 シ shi し(ぬ) shi(nu) 始 beginning, begin, start 使 シ shi はじ(まる) haji(maru) はじ(める) haji(meru) シ shi つか(う) tsuka(u) 地 チ chi ジ ji ground, soil (in the context of the Earth, Holy place etc) use it could be two souls dead under the land (the line along the top). the woman 女 (onna) on stage 台 began to perform looks like an old man looking at a stick of bamboo and wondering how to use it. contains the kanji for ground/soil 自殺 jisatsu – suicide 自賛 jisan – self-praise 自然 shizen – natural 五日 たてば 仕事が 完了するだろ う itsuka tateba shigoto ga kanryou suru darou – We should complete this job in five days. 枯死 koshi – withering, dying 死罪 shizai – capital punishment, capital offence 始めまして hajimemashite – a greeting (when meeting for the first time) 大使館 taishikan - embassy 使って も いい です か tsukatte mo ii desu ka – may I use (this)? 彼は 高価な 材料を ふんだんに 使って 家を建てた kare wa kouka na zairyou o fundan ni tsukatte uchi o tateta – He was lavish in the use of expensive materials in building his house. 土地 tochi – ground, soil, area 地下鉄 chikatetsu - subway 地域 chiiki – local, area, zone, district 耕地 kouchi – cultivated land 砂地 sunaji – sandy place, sandy terrain 地理 chiri - geography 持 ジ ji も(つ) mo(tsu) も(てる) mo(teru) hold, have 質 シツ shitsu シチ shichi quality, matter, substance 室 品 シツ shitsu むろ muro room, chamber ヒン hin しな shina goods, article, 者 シャ sha もの mono someone, person 習 シュウ shuu なら(う) nara(u) learn, practice 維持 iji - maintenance 持参 jisan – bringing or taking with one 支持 shiji – support 二千円札を 持っています か ni sen en satsu o motte imasu ka – Do you have a 2000 yen bill? DVD を 持っています DVD o motte imasu – I have a DVD. two axes chopping into 質問 shitsu mon – question the shell to see what the 材質 zai shitsu – material properties, quality is. lumber quality the top part of a room is a 更衣室 kou i shitsu – dressing room roof 個室 koshitsu – private room a man in front of a temple holding something. three mouths 口 look like three boxes (goods) elegance, dignity this kanji represents a person’s life. There is the sun (birth) and the ground (looks like a grave). it is a face of someone looking troubled because it is hard to practice 物品 buppin – goods 上品 jouhin – elegant 食料品 shokuryouhin – groceries 作品 sakuhin – creation, opus 医者 isha – doctor, physician 妻帯者 sai tai sha – a married man 練習 renshuu - practice 慣習 kanshuu – usual custom 習慣 shuukan – custom, habit, manners Japanese. 住 ジュウ juu す(まう) su(mau) す(む) su(mu) live, reside, dwell you are the lord 主 of the house you live in 春 場 シュン shun はる haru spring (season) three 三 people 人 out in the sun 日 in springtime. ジョウ jyou チュウ chuu ば ba place, location the earth 土 is a place under the sun 日 社会の 慣習は 国に よって異なる shakai no kanshuu wa kuni ni yotte kotonaru – Customs differ depending on the country. その習慣は 日本独特の もの だ sono shuukan wa nihon dokutoku no mono da – That custom is unique to Japan. 住所 jusho – address 三年間 日本に 住みました san nen kan nihon ni sumimashita – I lived in Japan for three years. 古い家に 住んでいます furui ie ni sunde imasu – I live in an old house. 新しい住所を 教えてください atarashii juusho o oshiete kudasai – Please tell me your new address. 春雨 haru same – Spring Rain 駐車場 chuu sha jou – parking lot / garage 市場 ichi ba - market 場合 ba ai – a case, situation ここはいい場所ですね koko wa ii basho desu ne – Isn’t this a nice place? いつも 駐車場が 混んでいます itsumo chuushajou ga konde imasu – (This) parking lot is always full. 知 チ chi し(る) shi(ru) to know, wisedom 真 シン shin ま ma true, reality the kanji on the left means arrow 矢 (ya) and the right kanji is a mouth 口 (guchi). wisedom is like an arrow from one’s mouth. 知識 chishiki – knowledge, learning 温故知新 on ko chishin – exploring the old (past), one comes to understand the new (present) 告知 koku chi – notify, announce 彼に だけ知らせないの は 不公平 だ kare ni dake shirasenai no wa fukouhei da – It isn’t fair to leave only him in the dark. 真実 shin jitsu – truth, reality 写真 shashin – photograph, picture 図 ズ zu ト to はか(る) haka(ru) map, drawing, plan X marks the spot on this treasure map 世 セイ sei セ se よ yo generation, world, society looks like katakana se セ because it (katakana) derives from kanji. It is the previous generation. 夕 セキ seki ゆう yuu evening 真っ赤 makka – really red 真っ白 masshiro – really white 真ん中 mannaka – right in the middle 図書館 toshokan - library 地図 chizu - map 合図 aizu – sign, signal 地図を 見せてください chizu o misete kudasai – Please show me the map 世界一 se kai ichi – the best in the world 世紀 sei ki - century 浮世絵 uki yoe – Ukiyoe (woodblock print) 夕方 yuugata - evening 夕焼け yuuyake – sunset 走 ソウ sou はし(る) hashi(ru) run looks like a man running 族 ゾク zoku family, tribe 注 チュウ chuu そそ(ぐ) soso(gu) pour, flow into, on the left is person 方 (kata) and on the right arrow 矢 (ya), so this represents a person hunting food for his tribe (family). the Lord 主 is concentrating on the water (kanji on the left). 台 タイ tai ダイ dai stand, stage, pedestal 待 題 タイ tai ま(つ) ma(tsu) wait, depend on ダイ dai topic, subject concentrate looks like someone on a stage shouting into a microphone (side-on view) person + time = wait a person with a shellfish on his leg is a subject of study 本田さんは マラソンを はしりまし た honda-san wa marason o hashirimashita – Mr.Honda ran a marathon. 家族 kazoku – family 民族 minzoku – tribe 注目 chuu moku – attention, notice 注意 chuui – careful (concentrate) 危ないから、注意してください abunai kara, chuui shite kudasai – Since it is dangerous, please be careful. 最近、台風が多いです sai kin, taifuu ga ooi desu – Lately, there have been many typhoons. ちょっと 待って ください chotto matte kudasai – please wait a moment 飲み放題 nomi hou dai – all you can drink 宿題 shuku dai – homework 問題 mondai – problem, issue, question この問題は 難しい kono mondai wa muzukashii – This problem is difficult. 度 ド do タク taku たび tabi degree, time, times occurred 今度 kondo – next time, soon 硬度 koudo – hardness 支度 shitaku – arrangement, preparation 今度映画を 見ましょう kondo eiga o mimashou – Next time let’s see a movie. 制度を 改めた seido o aratameta – They changed the system. 旅行 ryokou – trip, travel 次の 旅行は どこに 行きたい で す か tsugi no ryokou wa doko ni ikitai desu ka – Where do you want to go for the next trip? 旅 リョ ryo たび tabi travel, trip 昼 町 チュウ chuu ひる hiru noon, daytime the sun 日 is in the middle at noon 昼休み hiru yasumi – lunch break チョウ chou まち machi town, village think of a small town with a T shaped road leading to a rice field 問 モン mon と(い) to(i) と(う) to(u) question, ask, problem you go to the gate 門 and speak with your mouth 口 if you have a problem or need to ask a question. 車で町に行きましょう kuruma de machi ni ikimashou – Let’s go to town by car. この町は 見るところが 多いです kono machi wa miru tokoro ga ooi desu – This town has a lot to see. 質問 shitsu mon – question この問題は 難しいです kono mondai wa muzukashii desu – This problem is difficult. 質問があります shitsumon ga arimasu – I have a question. the top right hand horizontal line is an arm passing a ticket to a person 方 (kata) for their trip. 旅館 ryokan - Japanese-style inn 冬 堂 トウ tou ふゆ fuyu winter think of a cloud dropping two snowflakes in winter 冬眠 tou min – hibernation ドウ dou hall here we see the ground, a roof, and in the middle a mouth (the hallway) 特 トク toku special the left symbol looks like a cow. A special cow was dontated to the temple. 野 ヤ ya の no plains, field on the other side of a village 里 (sato) there is a field (wilderness) 発 ハツ hatsu / パツ patsu depart, start from, it looks like a rocket departing to the stars 食堂 shokudou – dining hall 任天堂 nintendou – Nintendo. 任 responsibility/duty, 天 heaven 特技 toku gi – special skills 特急 tokkyuu – special express train その習慣は 日本独特の もの だ sono shuukan wa nihon dokutoku no mono da – That custom is unique to Japan. 野球 yakyuu - baseball 長野 nagano – Nagano Prefecture 野菜 yasai - vegetables 荒野 kou ya – wilderness, the wilds 一年発起 ichi nen hokki – to be resolved to do something to happen 出発 shuppatsu – leave, departure 告発 koku hatsu – prosecution, accusation 再発 sai hatsu – relapse, recurrence 発音 hatsuon - pronounciation 発散 hassan – exhalation, emanation, diffusion, radiation, evaporation 発売 hatsu bai – released for sale 飯 ハン han めし meshi meal, cooked rice the left part is to eat 食べ る (taberu), and you can 朝ご飯 asa gohan - breakfast 昼ご飯 hiru gohan – lunch 病 不 服 see an F in there too (people in famine need a meal) could be an ill person on a hospital bed (top down view) ビョウ byou ヘイ hei やまい yamai や(む) ya(mu) フ fu ill, sick negative, bad, non- it’s bad when your back is down and falling apart フク fuku clothing, obey me and wear the moon as clothing 洋服 you fuku – Western-style clothes the bottom part is the kanji for sword 刀 so this kanji separates it from others 特別 toku betsu - special 別々に betsu betsu ni – separately 別荘 bessou – a second house 区別 ku betsu - to make a distinction 差別 sa betsu – discrimination 給料 kyuu ryou – pay, salary 香辛料 kou shin ryou – spices, seasoning 香料 kou ryou – spices, perfumes 送料込み sou ryou komi – shipping (charges) included 材料 zai ryou – material, matter, factor, element obey 別 料 晩ご飯 ban gohan – dinner ベツ betsu わか(れる) waka(reru) separate, another, リョウ ryou fee, specially materials the part to the left is rice 米 (bei) which is an essential material to pay for. 黄熱病 ou netsu byou – yellow fever 病院 byouin – hospital 病気になる byouki ni naru – to become sick 七不思議 nana fu shi gi – the seven wonders 不安 fu an – uneasiness, anxiety 不幸 fu kou – unhappiness, misfortune 不在 fu zai - absence 資料 shi ryou – materials, data 理 リ ri truth, logic, reason in ancient times the king 王(ou) of the village 里 (sato) would be the person with the logic and reason. 地理 chiri - geography 論理 ron ri - logic 理論 ri ron - theory 理解 ri kai – understanding, comprehend 料理 ryouri - cooking 管理 kan ri – control, management 理由を 知りません riyuu o shirimasen – I do not know the reason 彼に 財産管理を 任せた kare ni zaisankanri o makaseta – I left the management of my property up to him 洋 ヨウ you the west, westernstyle, ocean 曜 ヨウ you weekday ever play Worms? water + sheep = aquasheep (a western idea from across the ocean) 大西洋 tai sei you – Atlantic Ocean 洋服 you fuku – Western-style clothes 水曜日 sui youbi – Wednesday 何曜日ですか nan youbi desu ka – What day (of the week) is it? 今日は 土曜日です kyou wa doyoubi desu – Today is Saturday 月曜日以外、毎日 勉強します getsuyoubi igai, mainichi benkyou shimasu – Except for Monday, I study everyday. 夜 用 勉 空 会 ヤ ya よ yo よる yoru ヨウ you もち(いる) mochi(iru) 今夜 kon ya – this evening 昨夜 saku ya – last night evening, night 用意 you i – prepare, preparations 引用 in you – quotation, citation 雇用 ko you – hire, employment 採用 sai you – adoption, acceptance, employment, appointment 勉強 benkyou – study use, service, business in the service business everybody wants the moon on a stick (moon 月 with a line through it) べん ben exertion it takes power 力 (chikara) to exert oneself クウ kuu そら sora す(く)su(ku) あ(く) a(ku) sky, weather, カイ kai あ(う) a(u) meeting, conference, gathering The number six 六 (roku) 空く suku – to become empty, hungry is in the sky 空く aku – to become empty (not used for hungry) 空 kara – empty 空手 karate – Karate (empty hand) People gather inside a hut 会社 kaisha – office for a meeting 会議 kaigi – meeting empty 会話 kaiwa – conversation 教会 kyoukai – Church 会う au – to meet JLPT Level 2 Kanji 愛 アイ ai いと(しい) ito(shi) love 圧 アツ atsu pressure 案 アン an proposal, idea 委 イi commit, entrust with 胃 イi stomach 囲 イi かこ(う) kako(u) かこ(む) kako(mu) surround, enclose tomo(dachi) 友 is at the 愛知県 aichi ken – Aichi prefecture bottom and you love your 愛妻弁当 ai sai bentou – lunch box friends. packed with love by ones wife 愛妻 aisai – someone’s beloved wife looks like a jack that you 気圧 ki atsu – atmospheric pressure raise a car with, in order 圧巻 akkan – highlight, masterpiece to test the pressure of タイヤの 空気圧を 調べて もらえ tires ます か - taiya no kuukiatsu o shirabete moraemasu ka – Could you check the tire pressure? it was a good idea to put 案内 する annai suru – to show around the woman on the tree 君の 案を 実行に 移せると 思っ て いるの か kimi no an o jikkou ni utsuseru to omotte iru no ka – Do you think you can put your idea into practice? a woman is trustworthy 委員 iin – committee member about her family tree その問題は 委員会に かけられてい る sono mondai wa iinkai ni kakerate iru – The question is before the committee fill your stomach after 仕事が 胃にこたえて きた よ the harvest moon shigoto ga i ni kotaete kita yo – My job is giving me a stomach-ache you enclose a well 井 雰囲気 funiki – an atmosphere (of a with a wall place) 日本では、あなたは美に よって 囲 位 イi くらい kurai rank, position, about, approximately 衣 イi ころも koromo clothes, garments 移 イi うつ(す) utsu(su) うつ(る) utsu(ru) transfer, infect, move 異 イi こと koto different 依 イi エe depend on 偉 イi えら(い) era(i) great, high ranking まれて いる nihon de wa, anata wa bi ni yotte kakomarete iru – In Japan you are surrounded by beauty 一位 ichi i – first place その 歌手は マドンナと 同じ 位 有名だ sono kashu wa Madonna to onaji kurai yuumei da – That singer is as famous as Madonna. you can see the letters F I 更衣室 kou i shitsu – changing room T in this kanji, and to get その 金が 全て 衣服に 使われた fit you need gym clothes sono kane ga subete ifuku ni tsukawareta – All the money was spent on clothes. with two タ s this kanji is 移動 i dou – move, transfer (something) on the move 君の 案を 実行に 移せると 思っ て いるの か kimi no an o jikkou ni utsuseru to omotte iru no ka – Do you think you can put your idea into practice? 異常 ijou – abnormal, unusual 差異 sai – difference, disparity the left radical is ‘person’ 依存 izon – dependence (state of and the right is ‘clothes’ depending on) 衣 – a person depends on clothes for survival a great person has a 偉人 ijin – a great person person to his left イi ちが(う) chiga(u) ちが(える) chiga(eru) イキ iki different, wrong, differ 育 イク iki そだ(つ) soda(tsu) そだ(てる) soda(teru) bring up, educate, grow 印 イン in しるし shirushi sign, mark 因 イン in よ(る) yo(ru) cause 羽 ウu はね hane wing, feather 違 域 region, boundary the difference between 違反 ihan – violation, offence wrong 違う and great 偉 い is slight but important. this kanji is land 土 with 地域 chi iki – local, area, zone, district lines around it dividing it up into regions 教育 kyou iku – education 体育館 tai iku kan – a gym 後で 体育館の 後ろで 会いましょ う ato de taiikukan no ushiro de aimashou – Later let’s meet behind the gym this kanji is a picture of 刻印 koku in – carved seal, stamp the Fonz saying “hEy” – 印刷 in satsu – printing his sign or mark 印象 in shou - impression 第一 印象が 大事である daiichi inshou ga daiji de aru – First impressions are important この 印は 何を あらわして いま す か kono shirushi wa nani o arawashite imasu ka – What does this sign signify? if you put something big 火事の 原因は だいたい 分かって 大 (ookii) in your mouth いる kaji no genin wa daitai wakette iru – 口 (guchi) it will cause There is not much doubt about the cause of the fire you to choke looks like two wings 二羽 ni wa – two birds (wa is the counter for birds) 宇 ウu universe, house cloud 雲 ウン un くも kumo 泳 エイ ei およ(ぐ) oyo(gu) swim 栄 エイ ei さか(える) saka(eru) は(え) ha(e) は(える) ha(eru) flourish, glory 営 エイ ei いとな(む) itona(mu) manage, 庭には、二羽、鶏が います niwa ni wa, niwa, niwatori ni imasu – There are two chickens in the garden 宇宙人 uchuu jin - alien looks like an alien from somewhere in the universe the top symbol is rain 黒い 雲が でて きた よ kuroi which comes from clouds kumo ga dete kita yo – Dark clouds are gathering 月が 雲の 間 から でた tsuki ga kumo no aida kara deta – The moon came out from behind the clouds two waters (left radical 川で 泳ぎましょう kawa de and 水) make up this oyogimashou – Let’s swim in the river kanji so there is a lot of water to swim in a tree with a crown must 栄光 eikou – glory be truly flourishing 栄枯盛衰 eiko seisui – prosperity and decline, rise and fall 発言を 求められた ことを 光栄に 思います hatsugen o moto merareta koto o kouei ni omoimasu - am honoured that you should ask me to speak ご栄転 おめでとう ございます goeiten omedetou gozaimasu – I am so happy about your promotion the hat denotes authority 自営 jiei – self-employed and the big mouth means この 事務所の 通常営業 時間は barracks it is your manager this looks like water 水 with more water being poured onto it, so it continues forever 永 エイ ei なが(い) naga(i) eternity, forever 鋭 液 易 エイ ei するど(い) surudo(i) sharp (wit, object, but metal 金 (kin) is sharp not as in fashion) エキ eki liquid the water radical can be seen エキ eki イi やさ(しい) yasa(shii) easy looks similar to horse 馬 (uma) and horse riding is easy 越 エツ eji こえる ko(eru) こす ko(su) go over, cross, exceed, move to 園 エン en その sono garden the right radical looks like a man walking briskly away from a telegraph pole, crossing over the road a garden is enclosed with earth 土 (do) inside 九時 から 五時 まで です kono jimusho no tsuujoueigyou jikan wa kuji kara goji made desu – The usual business hours in this office are from nine to five 永遠 eien – forever, eternity 永久歯 ei kyuu shi – permanent teeth あなたは 永久に 日本を 去るの では ない でしょう ね anata wa eikyuu ni nihon o saru no de wa nai deshou ne – You are not leaving Japan for good are you? あたま が 鋭い atama ga surudoi – clever, quick-witted 当時 よい 職を 得る ことは 決 して 容易では なかった touji yoi shoku o eru koto wa kesshite youi de wa nakatta – In those days it was far from easy to come by a good job 引越し hikkoshi – to move to (another house) 公園 kouen – park 動物園 doubutsu en – zoo 塩 エン en しお shio salt 演 エン en act, perform (a play) 延 エン en の(びる) no(biru) の(べる) no(beru) の(ばす) no(basu) エン en けむり kemuri けむ(る) kemu(ru) postpone, extend, total 煙 smoke salt comes from the earth 土 (do) and this looks like a pestle and mortar the radical for stop 止め る (tomeru) is running ahead, extending the race 園芸 en gei – gardening この 公園には たくさんの 鳥が います kono kouen ni wa takusan no tori ga imasu – There are many birds in this park 公園に たいへん 多くの 人が い る kouen ni taihen ooku no hito ga iru – There are a great many people in the park 公園は どちらの 方向に あります か kouen wa dochira no houkou ni arimasu ka – Which direction is the park in? もう ちょっと 塩味を きかせてみ たら mou chotto shioaji o kikasete mitara – How about adding a little more salt? 講演 kou en – lecture 演じる enjiru – to act or perform 開演は 午後 七時 で ある kaien wa gogo shichiji de aru – The curtain goes up at 7pm 延長 enchou - extension 喫煙の 習慣を 止める ことが 出 来たら いい ね kitsuen no shuukan o yameru koto ga dekitara ii ne – It’d be けむ(い) kemu(i) 汚 王 央 横 nice if I could kick my smoking habit オo きたな(い) kitana(i) よご(す) yogo(su) よご(れる) yogo(reru) けが(す) kega(su) けが(れる) kega(reru) オウ ou dirty, to soil king 王国 oukoku - kingdom オウ ou centre オウ ou よこ yoko side, width, beside その 公園は 市の 中央に 位置し て いる sono kouen wa shi no chuuou ni ichi shite iru – The park lies in the middle of the city 公園の 中央に 池が ある kouen no chuuou ni ike ga aru – There is a pond in the middle of the park 横領罪 ou ryou zai – usurpation, embezzlement 公園を 横切って 歩いた kouen o yokogitte aruita – I walked across the park 一日中 ベッドに 横たわって いた ら うんざりした ichinichijuu beddo ni yokotawatte itara unzari shita – I got tired of lying in bed all day this looks like a blindfolded man’s face with his mouth open about to put something dirty in it 汚染物 osenbutsu - contamination 応 オウ ou response when somebody’s heart is bleeding you need an urgent response 欧 オウ ou Europe 押 オウ ou お(す) o(su) お(さえる) o(saeru) オウ ou おくoku push, hold navigating the seas using a map and a telescope to find Europe the left kanji radical is like a hand 手 (te) pushing down オク oku hundred million a hundred million of something is likely to get a person’s (left) attention (right) 意 (i) オン on あたた(かい) atata(kai) あたた(める) atata(meru) あたた(まる) atata(maru) warm (temperature) this kanji has warm things in it like sparks (left) the sun (top) and blood (bottom) 奥 億 温 呼応 koou – agreement, act in concert 新しい 仕事に 適応 出来ます か atarashii shigoto ni tekiou dekimasu ka – Can you adapt yourself to the new job? 欧米 oubei – Europe and America はしごを 押さえて いて ください hashigo o osaete ite kudasai – Please hold the ladder 奥さん okusan – (someone’s) wife inner part, depths, heart of, interior 地球は およそ 五十億年 前に 生 まれた chikyuu wa oyoso gojuu okunen mae ni umareta – The earth came into existence about five thousand million years ago 日本の 人口は 約 一億 二千万 人 です nihon no jinkou wa yaku ichioku nisenman nin desu – The population of Japan is about 120 million 一時間 ジョギング したら 体が 温かく なった ichiji kan jogingu shitara karada ga atatakaku natta – I got warm from jogging for an hour スープ が 温まる まで 待ちなさ い su-pu ga atatamaru made machinasai – Wait until the soup warms 科 カ ka subject of study 化 カ ka ば(ける) ba(keru) ば(かす) ba(kasu) change 荷 カ ka に ni load 果 カ ka は(たす) ha(tasu) fruit, end the top is plant and the bottom is “what”, and at customs they always ask what plants are in your luggage (load) there’s big fruit in this tree, which may end up 教科書 kyoukasho – textbook 歯科医 shikai – dentist その 店では 教科書を 売って い る sono mise de wa kyoukasho o utte iru – They sell textbooks at the bookstore これは よい 教科書 だ kore wa yoi kyoukasho da – This is a good textbook どの 教科 が 不得意 です か dono kyouka ga futokui desu ka – What subject are you poor at? 文化 bunka – culture 機械化 kikaika – mechanization 硬化 kouka – hardening, stiffening 悪化したの です か akka shita no desu ka – Was it getting worse 生け花は 日本の 文化 です ikebana wa nihon no bunka desu – Flower arrangement is a part of Japanese culture 荷物 nimotsu – baggage, luggage 手荷物 は いくつ 有ります か te nimotsu wa ikutsu arimasu ka – How many pieces of hand (carry-on) luggage do you have? 果物 kudamono – fruit 効果 kouka – effect, result は(て) ha(te) は(てる) ha(teru) on the floor 加 カ ka くわ(える) kuwa(eru) くわ(わる) kuwa(waru) add 課 カ ka section, lesson 可 カ ka possible, approve 過 カ ka す(ぎる) su(giru) す(ごす) su(gosu) あやま(つ) ayama(tsu) あやま(ち) ayama(chi) excess, exceed 結果 kekka - result 参加 san ka – participate, join マイクは 昨日 練習に 参加 しな かった maiku wa kinou renshuu ni sanka shinakatta – Mike didn’t join the practice yesterday 少し コショウを 加えたら どう だろう sukoshi koshou o kuwaetara dou darou – How about adding a touch of pepper? talking 言う (iu) about 放課後 houkago – after school fruit 果物 (kudamono) in アンは 放課後 よく テニスを し lessons ます An wa houkago yoku tenisu o shimasu – Ann often plays tennis after school 可能性 kanousei – possibility 可愛い kawaii - cute うまくいく可能性は 十分に ある umaku iku kanousei wa juubun ni aru – There is a good chance for success looks like a robot moving 過去 kako – past right, because it has 飲み過ぎる nomisugiru – to drink to exceeded the barrier (on excess the left) 納豆を 食べ 過ぎました nattou o tabe sugimashita – I ate too much nattou それは ひど 過ぎる sore wa hido this kanji looks like katakana カ(ka) with a box added to it sugiru – That is way too terrible 河 カ ka かわ kawa river what water? a river! (left radical is water, right radical is what) 運河 unga – canal 氷河は ゆっくり 動いて いる hyouga wa yukkuri ugoite iru 仮面 kamen – mask, disguise 仮 価 カ ka かり kari temporary カ ka value, price the right part looks like a scale which you weigh goods on to work out their value カク kaku コウ kou norm, status it is not the norm for a man on a box to be higher than a tree 価値 かち - value, worth 価格 かかく - price, value 大統領は 彼の 仕事を公正に 評価 していない daitouryou wa kare no shigoto o kousei ni hyouka shiteinai – The President hasn’t evaluated his work fairly この 車の 価格は とても 高い kono kuruma no kakaku wa totemo takai – The price of this car is very high 価格 kakaku – price, value 合格 する to pass an exam 資格 qualifications, requirements 彼は 英語教師 としての 資格が ある kare wa eigo kyoushi toshite no shikaku ga aru – He is qualified as an English teacher 格 解 カイ kai ゲ ge と(く) toku explain, clarify the left part means “angle” or horn so angles help explain mathematics and horns help explain 解説 する kaisetsu suru – to clarify, explain, comment 読解 dokkai – reading comprehension と(かす) tokasu と(ける) tokeru cows (bottom right) 靴 カ ka くつ kutsu shoes 菓 カ ka confectionary 絵 カイ kai エe picture 階 カイ kai floor, rank, the left part means leather and the right means change, so think of leather being changed into shoes the top is plant and the bottom is fruit so think of a plant bearing fruit for a cake (confectionary) the left part is “thread” 糸(ito) and the right is “meet” 会 (kai) – when threads meet they make an embroidered picture two people going up an escalator with their luggage (hand rail on the left) to the next floor 理解 rikai – understanding, comprehension 正解 seikai – correct (answer) 誤解 gokai – misunderstanding, misconception 二つの問題が 未解決の ままで あ った futatsu no mondai ga mikaiketsu no mama de atta – Two problems remained unsolved 靴磨き kutsumigaki – shoe polish 靴屋 kutsuya – shoe store 靴下 kutsu shita - socks お菓子 o-kashi – cakes, sweets 茶菓 cha ka – tea and sweets 絵本 e hon - picture (children’s) book 絵画 kaiga – picture, painting 絵師 e shi – painter, artist その 絵画を 見たら おもしろかっ た sono kaiga o mitara omoshirokatta – I found the picture interesting 階段 kai dan – stairs 段階 dan kai – stage step 改 カイ kai あらた(める) arata(meru) あらた(まる) arata(maru) reform 械 カイ kai device, machine 快 カイ kai こころよ(い) kokoro(i) pleasant 灰 カイ kai はい hai ash 皆 カイ kai みな mina みんな minna all left side is self and right is striking. zen monks would strike each other with bamboo rods to reach enlightenment, thus “I reform myself by striking” when you “open up” (right) your “heart” (left) you feel pleasant fire 火 (ka) under some wood creates ash two people and all their luggage going to meet everybody 改革 kaikaku – reformation 改正 kaisei – revision, amendment 制度を 改めた seido o aratameta – they changed the system 機械 kikai – machine, device その 機械は 一日中 作動 してい ます sono kikai wa ichinichijuu sadou shite imasu – The machine operates all day long これを 右に 回せば 機械は 動き ます kore o migi ni mawaseba kikai wa ugokimasu – If you turn this to the right and the machine will start 快楽 kairaku - pleasure 快速電車 kaisoku densha – express train 灰色 hai iro – grey (ash colour) 灰皿 hai zara – ash tray (plate) 降灰 koukai – a fall of volcanic ash 皆様 minasama – everyone (polite) 介 害 カイ kai meditate meditation takes us higher ガイ gai harm a man jumping over a mouth 口 (guchi) to escape harm 角 カク kaku カドド kado つの tsuno angle, カク kaku おのおの onoono each 各 horn 自己紹介 jikoshoukai – self-introduction 紹介 shoukai - introduce 災害 saigai – disaster 障害 shougai – obstacle, disaster 公害 kougai – pollution 殺害 satsugai – murder たばこは 健康に 害が ある tabako wa kankou ni gai ga aru – smoking is dangerous to health この 島では たいていの 蛇は 無 害で ある kono shima de wa taitei no hebi wa mugai de aru – That island has many harmless snakes it looks like a horned fish 三角 sankaku – triangle 魚 (sakana) 角柱 kaku chuu – prism 互角 go kaku – equality, good match そこの 角です よ soko no kado desu yo – It’s at the corner each friend 友(tomo) 各駅 kaku eki – every station gets a chance to speak 口 各種 kaku shu – every kind, all sorts (guchi) 各冊 kaku satsu – every book この電車は 中野より 先は 各駅に 停車 する kono densha wa Nakano yori saki wa kakueki ni teisha suru – This train stops at every station from Nakano on 覚 確 固 個 カク kaku おぼ(える) obo(eru) remember, perceive, カク kaku たし(か) tashi(ka) たし(かめる) tashi(kameru) コ ko かた(まる) kata(maru) かた(い) kata(i) certain コ ko individual, wake up solid, firm, harden, solidify, lump, mass, you need to look 見る (miru) in school 学 (gaku) to remember and perceive things この子は 物覚えが 早い kono ko wa mono oboe ga hayai – The child is learning quickly ジムは 目覚めると 自分が部屋に一 人なのに 気が ついた jimu wa mezameru to jibun ga heya ni hitori na no ni ki ga tsuita – Jim awoke and found himself alone in the room かちまけの 確立は 五分五分 です kachimake no kakuritsu wa gobu gobu desu – The chances of winning or losing are 50 / 50 as solid as a Christian tombstone 固まり katamari – Katamari (PS2 game) 固体 kotai – solid, solid matter 固定 kotei – fixed, permanent 固有 koyuu – characteristic, inborn 頑固 ganko – stubborn 断固 danko – conclusive この テーブルは がたつく。しっか り 固定 させて くれ kono te-buru wa gatatsuku. shikkari kotei sasete kure – This table is shaky. Please make it firm 個人 ko jin – indvidual (person) 個数 kosuu – number of articles 個室 koshitsu – private room 個々 koko – individual, separate 今日は りんごが 安い ので 二個 sticky general counter, item a person is counting solid 固まる (katamaru) objects 故 コ ko ゆえ yue old, former, deceased, the cause of the incident was the deceased incident, affair, intentional, reason, cause 雇 コ ko やと(う) yato(u) employ, hire 呼 コ ko よ(ぶ) yo(bu) call, cry out a mouth (guchi) 口 is shouting (crying out) and scaring away the right radical 買いましょう kyou wa ringo ga yasui node, ni ko kaimashou – Today because apples are cheap let’s buy two しゅるい 三個 ずつ ください shurui sanko zutsu kudasai – Of each sort please give me three 故事 koji – tradition, historical fact, origin 故人 kojin – the deceased 事故 jiko – accident, trouble 故郷 kokyou – hometown その事故に 対して 責任が あるの は 君だ sono jiko ni taishite sekinin ga aru no wa kimi da – It is you that are responsible for the accident 「何故行かないの」「行きたくない から さ」 [naze ikanai no][ikitakunai kara sa] – Why aren’t you going? Because I don’t want to 日雇い hi yato(i) – day labourer 解雇 kaiko – discharge, dismiss 雇用 koyou – employ, hire, employment 船を 雇う fune o yatou – charter (hire) a boat 呼吸 kokyuu – breathe, respiration 呼応 koou – agreement 呼ぶ yobu – call out to 誤 コ ko か(らす) ka(rasu) か(れる) ka(reru) ゴ go あやま(る) ayama(ru) 互 ゴ go たが(い) taga(i) equality this kanji has rotational symmetry so either way round it is equal 交 コウ kou カ(ウ) ka(u) まじ(える) maji(eru) まじ(る) maji(ru) ま(ざる) ma(zaru) ま(ぜる) ma(zeru) exchange, the lines cross like at an intersection where cars exchange 枯 wither, dry up, deplete, exhaust mistake cross, traffic, take turns, mix, shuffle 黄 コウ kou き ki こ ko おう ou yellow when a tree 木 (ki) gets old 古い (furui) it withers and dries up a student at a desk with his arm raised is speaking 言う (iu) and making a mistake 井戸が 枯れて しまった ido ga karete shimatta – The well has dried up 誤解 gokai – misunderstanding 誤字 goji – misprint, wrong character 錯誤 sakugo – mistake 誤差 gosa - error 互角 gokaku – equality, good match 交互 kougo - mutually お互いさまです o-tagai sama desu – That makes two of us 交渉 koushou – negotiation, bargaining 交換 koukan – exchange, interchange 交差点 kousaten – intersection 交際 kousai – association, friendship 交代 koutai – take turns こちら 側からは だれが 交渉に 当たります か kochira gawa kara wa dare ga koushou ni atarimasu ka – Who’s going to negotiate for us? この道路は 交通が 少ない kono douro wa kou tsuu ga sukunai – Traffic is light on this road 黄色 ki iro – yellow 硫黄 iou – sulphur この花は 黄色だが ほかの花は み な青い kono hana wa kiiro da ga hoka no hana wa mina aoi – This flower is yellow but all the others are blue 公 コウ kou おおやけ ooyake public, state, government 幸 コウ kou さち sachi しあわ(せ) shiawa(se) happy, コウ kou む(く) mu(ku) む(ける) mu(keru) む(かう) mu(kau) む(こう) mu(kou) turn toward, 向 good fortune direction, orientation, opposide side 公園 kouen – park 公害 kougai – pollution 公認 kounin – official authorisation, licence 主人公 shujinkou – master, hero, heroine 町の 公会堂は 人で いっぱい だ machi no koukaidou wa hito de ippai da – The town hall was full of people looks like a yen ￥ which 幸運 kouun – good luck brings good fortune and 幸福 koufuku – happiness happiness 薄幸 hakkou – unhappiness 不幸 fukou – misfortune similar to onaji 同 (same) 向上 koujou – advancement, progress this kanji is moving in 方向 houkou – direction, course the same direction 志向 shikou – intention, aim 趣向 shukou – idea, plan 船は 明日マニラに 向けて出発する fune wa ashita Manira ni mukete shuppatsu suru – The ship will set sail for Manila tomorrow 公園は どちらの方向に あります か kouen wa dochira no houkou ni arimasu ka – Which direction is the park in? 港 コウ kou みなと minato port 航 コウ kou navigate 侯 コウ kou そうろう sourou season, seasonal weather 康 コウ kou calm, healthy the left radical is “ship” and the right radical looks like a sailor navigating the high seas 空港 kuukou - airport 港湾 kouwan – harbours (ports and bays) 漁港 gyokou – fishing port あなたが いつ空港に着く か 教え て 下さい anata ga itsu kuukou ni tsuku ka oshiete kudasai – Let me know when you will arrive at the airport 神戸は 港で 有名で ある Koube wa minato de yuumei de aru – Kobe is famous for its port 航空便 koukuubin – air mail 航海 koukai – voyage, ocean navigation 航路 kouro – route (sea, air) 航空券 koukuuken – plane ticket その船は 出港した sono fune wa shukkou shita – The ship set sail 気候 kikou – climate, weather, season 兆候 choukou – symptom, sign, omen 天候 tenkou – weather 時候 jikou – season, time of the year 今年の冬は 気候が おだやか だ kotoshi no fuyu wa kikou ga odayaka da – We have a mild winter this year 健康 kenkou - health たばこは 健康に害が ある tabako wa kenkou ni ga aru – Smoking is dangerous to health 効 コウ kou きく kiku effect what will the effect be when the father 父 (chichi) uses his power 力 (chikara) 厚 コウ kou あつ(い) atsu(i) kind, be kind to thick children 子 (ko) under the sun 日 (hi) コウ kou ore, mine 鉱 thick the right radical looks a little like wind 風 (kaze), so a golden wind 金風 海辺の 空気は きれいで 健康的だ umibe no kuuki wa kirei de kenkouteki da – The air by the sea is pure and healthy 効果 kouka – result, effect 効率 kouritsu – efficiency 有効 yuu kou – effective, valid 無効 mu kou – invalidty, ineffectiveness その効果が らわれるには 時間が かかります sono kouka ga rawareru ni wa jikan ga kakarimasu – It will be some time before those effects make themselves felt 厚意 koui – kindness, favour 温厚 onkou – gentle, courteous 厚生 kousei – public welfare, public health 濃厚 noukou – thick, dense, heavy 氷は 二インチの 厚さ だ koori wa ni inichi no atsusa da – The ice is two inches thick ご好意に 対し 厚く お礼を 申し 上げます gokoui ni taishi atsuku orei o moushi agemasu – I am deeply grateful for your kindness 鉱物 koubutsu – mineral 金鉱 kinkou – gold ore, gold mine 採鉱 saikou - mining whistles through the mine コウ kou かま(える) kama(eru) かま(う) kama(u) construct, 講 コウ kou lecture someone is giving a lecture about a house with many floors (言う iu = speech) 耕 コウ kou cultivate a three-pronged tree standing next to a well in a farmer’s cultivated field 紅 コウ kou べに beni くれない kurenai crimson use thread 糸 (ito) to lift a bar for construction 工 (ku) or your face will go crimson 構 mind a tree 木 (ki) is a source of construction material for a house with many floors 構成 kousei – composition, formation 構造 kouzou – structure, construction 構想 kousou – plan, conception この 文章の 構造がどうなって い る か 分かります か kono bunshou no kou zou ga dou natte iru ka wakarimasu ka – Do you understand the structure of this sentence? 講義 kougi – lecture 購読 koudoku – subscription 講師 koushi – lecturer, speaker 休講 kyuukou – cancelled lecture 耕作 kousaku – cultivate, plow 耕地 kouchi - arable land, farmland 農場主は 一日中畑を 耕した noujoushu wa ichinichijuu hatake o tagayashita – The farmer plowed his field all day 深紅 shinku – crimson 紅白 kouhaku – red and white 紅潮 kou chou – blush, redden 紅玉 kougyoku – ruby 紅茶 koucha – black tea 降 コウ kou お(りる) o(riru) お(ろす) o(rosu) ふ(る) fu(ru) descend, fall, get off (a bus) someone is trying to scale the wall (on the left) but his ladder has broken and he is falling 更 コウ kou さら sara ふ(ける) fu(keru) ふ(かす) fu(kasu) renew when you use something 使う (tskau) you must renew it 荒 コウ kou あら(い) ara(i) あ(れる) a(reru) あ(らす) a(rasu) コウ kou かた(い) kata(i) wild, desolate hard you can use a stone 石 (ishi) because it is hard コウ kou assent, the council gave consent for a bus stop 止める (tomeru) on the moon 月 (tsuki) on a sunny day in the forest you need deodrant (fragrance) 硬 肯 consent 香 コウ kou キョウ kyou か ka かお(り) kao(ri) かお(る) kao(ru) fragrance 降りる oriru – get off (a bus) 降伏 koufuku – surrender, submission 下降 kakou – descent, fall, drop 雨が 降っています ame ga futteimasu – It is raining 更正 kousei – correction, revision, rectification 更新 koushin – renew, renovate 更衣室 kouishitsu – changing room 変更 henkou – change, modification 荒廃 kouhai – desolation, waste, ruin 荒野 kouya – wilderness, the wilds, wasteland 荒天 kouten – stormy weather 硬貨 kouka – coin, metallic money 硬化 kouka – hardening, stiffening 硬度 koudo – hardness 肯定 koutei - affirmation 首肯 shukou – assent, consent 香辛料 kou shinryou – spices, seasoning 香水 kousui – perfume 芳香 houkou – fragrance, aroma 香川県 kagawa ken – Kagawa prefecture 郊 号 コウ kou suburbs ゴウ gou number, signal, sign 郊外 kougai – suburbs, outskirts 郊野 kouya – suburban fields you can see the number 5 in this kanji 暗号 angou – code 号令 gourei – order, command 信号 shingou – traffic signal (light) 番号 bangou - number 電話番号 denwa bangou – telephone number 谷 コク koku たに tani valley this is a hut in a valley and rocks are falling onto it 告 コク koku つ(げる) tsu(geru) notify a man is jumping over a desk rushing to give you the piece of paper that notifies you not to forget this kanji 刻 コク koku き(ざむ) kiza(mu) carve, engrave 峡谷 kyou koku – gorge, valley, canyon その谷で金が 見つかったと いう うわさが ある sono tani de kin ga mitsukatta to iu uwasa ga aru – It is rumoured that gold has been found in that valley 告白 koku haku – confession, acknowledgement 広告 koukoku – advertisement 告知 kokuchi – notify, announce 忠告 chuukoku – advice, warning 新聞広告を 見て来ました shinbun koukoku o mite kimashita – I have come in response to your ad in the paper 刻印 kokuin – carved seal, stamp 時刻 jikoku – time, hour 深刻 shinkoku - serious 定刻 teikoku – regular (appointed) time カク kaku かわ kawa leather, 拡 カク kaku コウ kou ひろ(がる) hiro(garu) ひろ(げる) hiro(geru) enlarge 骨 コツ kotsu ほね hone bone this kanji looks like a skeleton and you can see his bones 込 こ(む) ko(mu) into, be crowded when many people enter 入る (hairu) a place gets crowded 根 コン kon ね ne root (math), root (chemistry), 革 reform perserverance this looks like a fancy staff that they may use in government ceremonies when reforming acts and laws by felling trees 木 (ki) we can enlarge the space 広い (hiroi) 改革 kaikaku – reformation 変革 henkaku – change, reform 拡大 kakudai – enlargement, expansion 彼は 研究の 対象を 拡大 した kare wa kenkyuu no taishou o kakudai shita – He expanded the focus of his research 骨髄 kotsuzui – (bone) marrow, main point 骨肉 kotsu niku – flesh and blood 骨格 kokkaku – frame, physique, skeleton 筋骨 kinkotsu – muscle and bones, physique 鉄骨 tekkotsu – steel frame 送料込み sou ryou komi – shipping (charges) included いつも駐車場が 込んでいます itsumo chuushajou ga kondeimasu – The parking lot is always crowded 根気 konki – perserverance, patience, energy 根拠 konkyo – grounds, basis, authority 根本 konpon – nasis, foundation, origin 球根 kyuukon – bulb 大根 daikon – Japanese radish 較 カク kaku コウ kou くら(べる) kura(beru) compare 混 コン kon ま(じる) ma(jiru) ま(ざる) ma(zaru) ま(ぜる) ma(zeru) mix 困 コン kon こま(る) koma(ru) be in trouble try to compare a car (left) 比較 hikaku – comparison with a father (right) 私は 大学院で 比較文学を 勉強し た watashi wa daigakuin de hikakubungaku o benkyou shita – I studied Comparative Literature in graduate school 混雑 konzatsu – confusion, disorder, congestion 混戦 konsen – brawl, confused fight 混乱 konran – disorder, chaos 混合 kongou – mixing, mixture 油と 水を混ぜる 事は出来ない abura to mizu o mazeru koto wa dekinai – You cannot mix oil and water 国家主義と 愛国心とを 混同しては ならない kokkashugi to aikokushin to o kondou shite wa naranai – Nationalism is not to be confused with patriotism 困難 konnan – difficulty, trouble, hardship 困惑 konwaku – embarrassment, confusion 困窮 konkyuu – destitution, poverty 貧困 hinkon – poverty, lack, shortage 困っている komatteiru – be in trouble 婚 コン kon marry a woman at what looks like an altar waiting to marry 差 サ sa さ(す) sa(su) difference, remainder (math), what is left 左 (hidari) behind is the difference or remainder rise (of water) 査 サ sa look into, investigate, inspect the bottom radical looks like an eye 目 (me) and it is inspecting a tree 木 (ki) 砂 サ sa すな suna sand sand is made up of many little 少し (sukoshi) stones 石 (ishi) 座 ザ za すわ(る) suwa(ru) seat, sit two people 人 (hito) are sitting on the earth 土 (do) under a tent. 才 サイ sai talent, looks like a child dropping her baton 婚約 konyaku - engagement 結婚 kekkon – marriage 婚姻 konin – marriage 離婚 rikon – divorce 再婚 saikon – second marriage 交差点 kousaten – intersection 差額 sagaku – balance, difference 差別 sabetsu – discrimination 大差 taisa – big difference この浅い湾で 潮が 早く差す kono asai wan de shio ga hayaku sasu – In this shallow bay the tide comes up quickly 査察 sasatsu – inspection, investigation 査定 satei – assessment, audit 検査 kensa – inspection, examination 調査 chousa – investigation, examination, survey 砂糖 satou – sugar 砂漠 sabaku – desert 砂丘 sakyuu – sand dune 砂場 sunaba - sandbox 座席 zaseki – seat 正座 seiza – sit straight 座標 zahyou – coordinates 天才 tensai – genius 才能 sainou – talent, ability age suffix during a talent contest thread 糸(ito) in a field 田 (den) is a tiny, minute, slender object 細 サイ sai ほそ(い) hoso(i) こま(か) koma(ka) こま(かい) koma(kai) slender, minute 祭 サイ sai まつ(る) matsu(ru) まつ(り) matsu(ri) festival 最 サイ sai most the sun is the most tall of all the radicals in this kanji 何才 nan sai – how old (of a person) 自分の才能を 生かせる ような 仕 事を したい jibun no sainou o ikaseru you na shigoto o shitai – I want to do work that makes use of my talents 細菌 saikin – bacteria, germ 細工 saiku – work, craftmanship 細部 saibu – details 細君 saikun – wife 明細 meisai - particulars, details 肉を 食べる前に 細かく 切るべき です niku o taberu mae ni komakaku kirubeki desu – You should cut up your meat before you eat it 祭日 sai jitsu – national holiday, festival day 近くに お祭りを やって いる 町 が あります か chikaku ni omatsuri o yatte iru machi ga arimasu ka – Near here are there any towns with festivals? 体育祭は どう でした か taiikusai wa dou deshita ka – How did you do on sports day? 最高 saikou – the hightest, supreme 最終 saishuu – last, final 最悪 saiaku – worst case, the worst 最後 saigo – the last, the end 再 サイ sai サ sa ふたた(び) futata(bi) another time, again 額 ガク gaku ひたい hitai amount, カツ katsu い(かす) i(kasu) active, life a man skiing on water has an active lifestyle カツ katsu わ(る) wa(ru) わ(り) wari わ(れる) wa(reru) さ(く) sa(ku) divide this kanji contains part of ‘separate’ 別 (betsu) to divide up this character 活 割 forehead this kanji shows 100 百 (hyaku) which can be a large amount 最低 saitei – lowest, minimum 経験は 最良の 教師で ある keiken wa sairyou no kyoushi de aru – Experience is the best teacher 再来週 saraishuu – week after next 再開 saikai – reopening, resumption 再三 saisan – again and again, repeatedly 再婚 saikon – remarriage すぐに 再発行 出来ます か sugu ni saihakkou dekimasu ka – Can you reissue them right away? 差額 sagaku – balance, difference, margin 半額 hangaku – half-price あなたの 計画は 多額の 金を 必 要と します anata no keikaku wa tagaku no kane o hitsuyou to shimasu – Your plan requires a large amount of money 生活 seikatsu – life, lifestyle 活動 katsu dou – action, activity 割引 waribiki – discount, reduction 一割 ichiwari – 10 percent 時間割 jikanwari – timetable 我が 家の 家計は 収入の 割りに 支出が 多すぎる wa ga ya no kakei wa shuunyuu no wari ni shishutsu ga oosugiru – Our family spends too much for the income we have 感 カン kan sense, feel you use your heart 心 (kokoro) for feeling 管 カン kan くだ kuda pipe, カン kan せき seki concern, looks like two controlling eyes looking at the kanji for government 官 (kan) Mr Yen is is concerned that you havn’t paid so he’s put up a barrier カン kan view 関 観 control barrier the kanji to see 見る (miru) is in this character, which is like view 敏感 binkan – sensitivity 直感 chokkan – intuition 彼は 直感で 彼女が 嘘を ついて いると わかった kare wa chokkan de kanojo ga uso o tsuiteiru to wakatta – His intuition told him she was lying 血管 kekkan – blood vessel 管理 kanri – control, management 試験管 shikenkan – test tube 関西 Kansai – Kansai (area including Osaka and Kyoto) 関節 kansetsu – joints (knee, elbow etc.) 関連 kanren – relation, connection 給料は 労働者の 年齢との 関連で 異なってくる kyuuryou wa roudousha no nenrei tono kanren de kotonattekuru – Wages change in relation to the worker’s age 観光 kankou - sightseeing 観察 kansatsu – observation, survey 彼は 経済 観念の ない男だ kare wa keizai kannen no nai otoko da – He is a man with no financial sense 完 カン kan complete 官 カン kan government 妻 サイ sai つま tsuma wife 際 サイ sai きわ kiwa verge, カン kan な(れる) na(reru) な(らす) na(rasu) habit 慣 occasion looks a little like sell 売 る (uru) which is completing a transaction 完了 kanryou – completion 完璧 kanpeki – perfect 五日 たてば 仕事が 完了 する だろう itsuka tateba shigoto ga kanryou suru darou – The work should be complete in five days looks like a filing cabinet 器官 kikan - organ that they use in 警察官 keisatsukan - policemen government offices 警官 keikan - policeman a woman 女 (onna) 愛妻弁当 ai sai bentou – lunchbox makes a complicated wife packed with love by ones wife 妻子 saishi – ones wife and children 妻帯者 saitaisha – a married man 恐妻家 kyousaika – a hen-pecked husband a festival 祭り(matsuri) 交際 kousai – association, friendship by the verge is a big 際限 saigen – limits, ends, bounds occasion 実際 jissai – true, actual, real 水際 mizu giwa – beach, waterside 際どい kiwadoi – risky 彼が そう言うの を 実際に 聞き ました kare ga sou iu no o jissai ni kikimashita – I actually heard him say that this kanji looks like a 慣習 kanshuu – normal custom hobbit but it’s actually a 習慣 shuukan – custom, habit, manners habit その習慣は 日本 独特の もの だ sono shuukan wa nihon dokutoku no 刊 カン kan publish, carve these radicals look like carving tools used to make and publish old newspaper 採 サイ sai とる to(ru) pick, gather picking fruit from a tree 木 (ki), or gathering rice 米 (bei) 済 サイ sai ザイ zai す(む) su(mu) す(ます) su(masu) settle, relieve 歳 サイ sai セイ sei year, age suffix 材 ザイ zai timber, material two trees, one is partially felled for building mono da 海部氏は 人前で 演説する ことに 慣れて いる kaifushi wa hitomae de enzetsu suru koto ni narete iru – Mr Kaifu is used to making speeches in public 週刊誌 shuukanshi – weekly publication 朝刊 choukan – morning edition of a newspaper これは 日刊新聞 です kore wa nikkan shinbun desu – This is a daily newspaper 採掘 saikutsu – mining 採集 saishuu – collecting, gathering 採点 saiten – marking, grading, rating 伐採 bassai – cut down, fell a tree 返済 hensai – repay, reimburse 救済 kyuusai – relieve, help, save 経済 keizai – economy, economics 彼は 経済 観念の ない 男だ kare wa keizai kannen no nai otoko da – He is a man with no financial sense 歳月 saigetsu – time 歳末 saimatsu – year end 歳入 sainyuu – revenue, annual income 何歳 nan sai – what age (of a person) 材木 zaimoku – logs, timber 石材 sekizai – building stone material 在 ザイ zai あ(る) a(ru) exist, stay 財 ザイ zai サイ sai wealth 罪 ザイ zai つみ tsumi crime you can see a part of buy 買う (kau) in this kanji, implying wealth the gap in the middle is the hall and on the sides are cells, which people are put into when they commit a crime 人材 jinzai – (person) of talent, capable person 素材 sozai – material, subject matter この 材料は だれに とっても 役 に 立つと 思う kono zairyou wa dare ni tottemo yaku ni tatsu to omou – I think this material is of benefit to everyone 在庫 zaiko – stock, stockpile 在学 zaigaku – being in school 在米 邦人 zaibei houjin – Japanese living in the US 不在 fuzai – absence 現在の 首相は その式に 出席 し て はいなかった genzai no shushou wa sono shiki ni shusseki shite wainakatta – The present Prime Minister was not present at the ceremony 財源 zaigen – revenue / financial resource 財産 zaisan – property, fortune, wealth 財布 saifu - wallet 軽犯罪 keihanzai – light offence (legal) 罪悪 zaiaku – crime, sin, vice 罪人 zainin – criminal, sinner 無罪 muzai – not guilty, innocent 有罪 yuuzai – guilt 謝罪 shazai - apology 咲 さ(く) sa(ku) bloom this could be a flower in bloom outside a cave 昨 サク saku yesterday, last part of make 作る (tsukuru) + day 日(nichi) = I made something yesterday 殺 サツ satsu サイ sai セツ setsu ころ(す) koro(su) kill the X by the tree 木 (ki) is where the man was killed 刷 サツ satsu す(る) su(ru) print like publish 刊 (kan) this kanji has tools for printing, symbolised by the big ‘P’ きれいな 花が 咲いて います kireina hana ga saite imasu – Beautiful flowers are in bloom 桜の 花が 咲く sakura no hana ga saku – the cherry trees are blooming 話しに 花が 咲いた hanashi ni hana ga saita – the conversation became animated 昨日 saku jitsu – yesterday 昨日 kinou – yesterday 昨年 sakunen – last year 昨夜 sakuya – last night マイクは 昨日練習に 参加 しなか った Maiku wa kinou renshuu ni sanka shinakatta – Mike didn’t join the practice yesterday 殺意 satsui – intent to kill 殺害 satsugai – murder, killing 殺人 satsujin – murder 殺人犯 satsujinhan - murderer 殺菌 sakkin – seterilisation 自殺 jisatsu – suicide 刷新 sasshin - reform, renovation, revision 印刷 insatsu – printing 縮刷 shuku satsu – printing in reduced size 札 サツ satsu ふだ fuda tag 冊 サツ satsu サク saku card, volume, book 雑 ザツ zatsu ゾウ zou rough, mixed trees 木 (ki) chopped up with power 力 (riki) are rough and mixed in size 皿 さら sara plate looks like a drainer for plates on a sideboard この本は 来年 印刷 される でし ょう kono hon wa rainen insatsu sareru deshou – This book will probably be printed next year 千円札 senen satsu – 1000 yen note 札束 satsutaba – bundle of banknotes 改札 kaisatsu – examining (checking) tickets 二千円札を 持っています か nisen en satsu o motte imasu ka – Do you have a 2000 yen note? 冊子 sasshi – booklet, pamphlet 別冊 bessatsu – separate volume, extra issue 各冊 kaku satsu – each book (volume, copy) 混雑 kon zatsu – confusion, disorder, congestion 雑音 zatsuon – noise, jamming, interference 雑誌 zasshi – magazine 雑学 zatsu gaku – wide knowledge 複雑 fuku zatsu - complicated 灰皿 hai zara – ash tray 最初の皿 saisho no sara – first course, starter その 男の子は たちまち 皿を か 算 サン san calculate 散 サン san ち(る) chi(ru) ち(らす) chi(rasu) ち(らかす) chi(rakasu) ち(らかる) chi(rakaeru) scatter 参 サン san まい(る) mai(ru) participate, go to pray to work out the answer to a question 質問 (shitsumon) you need to calculate らっぽに した sono otoko no ko wa tachimachi sara o karappo ni shita – The boy had the dish empty in a moment 誤算 gosan – miscalculation, misjudgement 算出 sanshutsu – computation, calculation 暗算 anzan – mental arithmetic 予算 yosan – estimate, budget ５足す１０の 足し算は やさしい 5 たす 10 no tashizan wa yasashii – It is easy to add 5 to 10 散歩 sanpo – walking, a stroll 解散 kaisan – breakup, dispersion 分散 bunsan – dispersion, divergence, variance 天気が よかった ので 散歩が 出 来ました tenki ga yokatta node sanpo ga dekimashita – Because it was good weather I was able to go for a walk 集会は 九時に 散会 した shuukai wa kuji ni sankai shita – The meetin broke up at 9 o’clock 参加 sanka – participate 参考 sankou – reference, consultation 参拝 sanpai – worship, visit a temple 古参 kosan – senior, old-timer, veteran 新参 shinzan – newcomer 賛 サン san approve, praise looks like two people in the background are cheering and praising the radical at the front 残 ザン zan のこ(る) noko(ru) のこ(す) noko(su) remain, ruthless the タ is holding a big hammer and is chasing the right-hand radical because it is cruel and ruthless 糸 シ shi いと ito thread, string this could be a ball of yarn (thread) 私の 意見 では 勝つ こと より 参加 する ことに 意義が ある watashi no iken dewa katsu koto yori sanka suru koto ni igi ga aru – In my opinion participation is more important than winning 賛成 sansei – approval, agreement, support 賛美 sanbi – praise, admiration 賛同 sandou – approval, endorsement 自賛 jisan – self-praise 画賛 gasan – legend (text) on a chart 山田さんの意見に 全く 賛成だ Yamada-san no iken ni mattaku sansei da – I am in complete agreement with Mr Yamada 残金 zankin – balance, surplus 残酷 zankoku – cruel, ruthless 残高 zandaka – balance, remainder 残念 zannen – regret, disappointment 残業 zangyou – overtime 上司に 残業 させられた ん だよ joushi ni zangyou saserareta n da yo – My boss made me work overtime 一糸 isshi – a thread, a stitch 毛糸 keito – wollen yarn 綿糸 menshi – cotton yarn 糸口 itoguchi – beginning, first step, clue 歯 シ shi は ha tooth 指 シ shi ゆび yubi finger, point 史 シ shi history 歯科医 shikai – dentist 乳歯 nyuushi – baby teeth 永久歯 eikyuu shi – permanent teeth 歯磨き ha migaki – toothpaste, brushing one’s teeth a baby on a stool is 指示 shiji – indication, pointing out pointing out something to 指導 shidou – guidance, instruction his mummy 指定 shitei – appointment, authorization 指定する shitei suru – to specify 指摘 shiteki – pointing out 指紋 shimon – fingerprint 親指 oya yubi – thumb 足の指 ashi no yubi – toe 指圧 shiatsu - accupressure a wizened old man with 史学 shigaku – history (field of study) whiskers is talking about 史料 shiryou – historical materials history (records) 歴史 rekishi – history 日本史 nihon shi – Japanese history 中国の 歴史は 日本の 歴史 より 古い です chuugoku no rekishi wa nihon no rekishi yori furui desu – The history of China is older than that of Japan looks like a tooth that has plaque on it, with the rot at the top 司 シ shi つかさど(る) tsukasado(ru) officiate 支 シ shi ささ(える) sasa(eru) branch, support 資 シ shi resources 簡 カン kan simple 干 カン kan ほ(す) ho(su) dry 司会 shikai – presiding, officiating 司令 shirei - command 司令官 shireikan – commander 上司 jyoushi – superior officer 寿司 sushi – raw fish and rice under the gound there are 支持 shiji – support, backing supporting roots 支店 shiten – branch (office, store) 支給 shikyuu – provision, supply, payment 支度 shitaku – arrangement, preparation part of buy 買う(kau) is 資格 shikaku – qualificatinos, here, because you have to requirements buy resources 資源 shigen – resources 資金 shikin – funds, capital 資産 shisan – property, fortune 資本 shihon – funds, capital it is simple for two 簡単 kantan – simple pidgeons to get past a 簡単でした kantan dehita – it was easy gate 門 (mon) 簡潔 kanketsu – simplicity この本棚は 組み立てが 簡単だ kono hondana wa kumitate ga kantan da – This bookshelf is easy to assemble looks like a spike you 干渉 kanshou – interference, intervention drive deep into the 欄干 rankan – handrail, bannister ground to find water when it is dry カン kan ま(く) ma(ku) ま(き) ma(ki) カン kan み(る) mi(ru) roll up, volume 甘 カン kan あま(い) ama(i) あま(える) ama(eru) あま(やかす) ama(yakasu) sweet 汗 カン kan あせ ase sweat 換 カン kan か(える) ka(eru) か(わる) ka(waru) exchange 乾 カン kan か(わく) ka(waku) か(わかす) ka(wakasu) dry 巻 看 watch, care for 巻き maki – Maki sushi (rolled) 巻頭 kantou – opening page of a book 鉢巻 hachi maki - headband looks like a big hand 手 看護婦 kangofu – nurse (te) caring for a baby in a 看板 kanban - signboard cot looks like a big tongue 甘受 kanju – submission to, putting up tasting sweet things with 甘露 kanro – nectar 君は その結果を 甘受 すべき だ kimi wa sono kekka o kanju subeki da – You should abide by the consequences the stick man needs a 汗顔 kangan – ashamed shower (water, left 汗腺 kansen – sweat gland radical) because he is sweaty the top of fish 魚 (sakan) 交換 koukan – exchange, interchange can be seen and four 四 換気 kanki – ventilation (yon) is below, so 換算 kansan – conversion, evaluate perhaps four fish are 転換 tenkan – convert being exchanged for a 彼は 何で も お金に 換算 して tree しまう kare wa nan de mo okane ni kansan shite shimau – He thinks of everything in terms of money a car 車 (kuruma) has 乾杯 kanpai – cheers (toast) ‘Z’ero petrol left so it is 乾燥 kansou – dry, arid dry 肌が 乾燥 して います hada ga the backwards ‘S’ shape at the bottom is a strip being rolled up kansou shite imasu – my skin is dry round 弾丸 dangan – bullet 日の丸 hinomaru – The Japanese Flag 環 カン gan まる maru まる(い) maru(i) まる(める) maru(meru) カン kan わ wa ring 枝 シ shi えだ eda branch tree 木 (ki) + branch 支 (shi(sha – company branch)) = tree branch 師 シ shi master looks like government 官 (kan) and market 市 (ichi), and the government is the master of the economy (market) 環境 kankyou – environment, circumstances 環状線 kanjyousen – loop line 枝葉末節 shiyoumassetsu – branches and leaves, unimportant details 枝川 eda gawa – branch of a river 枝豆 edamame – green soy beans 楊枝 youji - toothpick 講師 koushi – lecturer, speaker 師匠 shishou – master, teacher 医師 ishi – doctor 教師 kyoushi – teacher, instructor 技師 gishi – engineer 絵師 eshi – painter 経験は 最良の 教師で ある keiken wa sairyou no kyoushi de aru – Experience is the best teacher 丸 JLPT Level 1 Kanji 亜 哀 挨 垢 握 アa sub-, Asia 亜細亜 ajia - Asia アジア – Asia (usual spelling) アイ ai あわ(れ) awa(re) helpless, sorrow, misery 垢を落とす aka o otosu – Wash off the dirt アイ ai greeting, salutation 挨拶 aisatsu – greetings 挨拶状 aisatsu jyou – greeting card コウ kou あか aka dirt, filth アク aku にぎ(る) nigi(ru) grasp, seize, mould, 握手 akushu - handshake sushi yearning, longing, aspiration 憧れる akogareru – long for, admire 憧 扱 或 ショウ shou あこが(れ) akoga(re) 威 為 soil 土 (do) + ‘F’ilth are dirty あつか(う) atsuka(u) handle, deal with, treat あつかい atsukai – treatment, service ワク waku ある aru certain, some イi take 或いは aruiha – or, possibly 或る日 aru hi – one day... (start of a story) 威嚇 ikaku – menace, threat 威厳 igen - dignity イi ため tame good, advantage, benefit, in order to, because of looks like a tank which gives you a huge advantage and benefit 為さる nasaru – to do (honouriffic) なす nasu – to do 尉 ジョウ jyou いi jailer, military rank 遺 イi ユイ yui のこ(す) noko(su) ワン wan leave, bequeath, reserve 惑 ワク waku まど(う) mado(u) beguile (trickery), bewilder 維 イi support, fasten, 慰 イi なぐさ(める) nagusa(meru) なぐさ(む) nagusa(mu) 緯 イi horizontal 侍 ジ ji さむらい samurai samurai 碗 bowl rope, fibre comfort, consolation, amusement 大尉 taii - captain 中尉 chuui – lieutenant, first lieutenant 少尉 shoui – second lieutenant looks like a person sitting 遺言 yuigon - will, testament in a seat reserving it for someone shares a radical with sand 砂 (suna) and bowls can be made from sand this kanji beguiles you into thinking about emotions 心 (shin) use a thread 糸 (ito) to make a net for support a military officer has feelings 心 (shin) so he needs comfort 茶碗 chawan – rice bowl, teacup 困惑 konwaku - embarassment, confusion 惑星 waku sei – planets 誘惑 yuu waku - temptation 維新 ishin – restoration 維持 iji - upkeep 慰安 ian – consolation, comfort 慰謝 isha – consolation, solace 慰問 imon – visit, to give comfort (to those in hospital) 慰労金 iroukin – bonus, reward 老人ホームを 慰問する roujin ho-mu o imon suru – Visit an old people’s home 緯度 ido - latitude the thread 糸 (ito) looks vertical but wrong 違う (chigau) – it is horizontal a samurai is a person (left 七人の 侍を 見ました か shichi radical) who is special 特 nin no samurai o mimashita ka – Did you (toku) see 7 Samurai? Miscellaneous Kanji 当 トウ tou あ(たる) a(taru) this, hit, right, appropriate, himself hit yourself to learn this kanji – it is everywhere 本当 hontou – really 本当ですか hontou desu ka – really? 当駅 toueki – this railway station 当時 touji – old times, those days 当面 toumen (no) – present, immediate 当人 tounin – the person in question 当世風 tousei(fuu) – up to date, current, (in fashion) 当用 touyou – daily use 当座 touza – the time being 当然 touzen – natural, rightful Verbs Kanji 浴 ヨク yoku あ(びる) a(biru) あ(びせる) a(biseru) bathe, pour 揚 ヨウ you あ(げる) a(geru) hoist, fry, land 洗 セン sen あら(う) a(rau) wash 遊 ユウ yuu あそ(ぶ) aso(bu) play 選 セン sen えら(ぶ) era(bu) choose, elect water radical on the left and it looks like the hut is bathing (water is pouring onto it) 浴びる abiru – bathe, pour 浴びせる abiseru – to throw シャワーを浴びる shawa- o abiru – to take a shower 日光浴 nikkouyoku – to sunbathe 揚げる ageru – to fry 旗を揚げる hata o ageru – hoist a flag 凧を揚げる tako o ageru – fly a kite 乗客たちは 船から陸に 揚がった joukyaku tachi wa fune kara riku ni agatta – The passengers landed from a ship 洗う arau – to wash 洗濯 sentaku – washing 食事の前に 手を洗いなさい shokuji no mae ni te o arai nasai – Wash (clean) your hands before a meal 遊ぶ asobu – to play 遊園地 yuuenchi – a recreation ground 子供たちが 砂場で 遊んで います kodomotachi ga sunaba de asonde imasu – Children are playing in the sandpit 選ぶ erabu – to choose 選挙 senkyo – election 好きな数を一つ 選んで ください sukina kazu o hitotsu erande kudasai – Please select one of your favourite numbers 増 頑張 る 履 払 ゾウ zou ふ(える) fu(eru) ま(す) ma(su) がんば(る) ganba(ru) り ri は(く) ha(ku) フツ futsu はら(う) hara(u) increase hold out, do one’s best put on (for feet), fulfilment dust, pay 拾 シュウ shuu ひろ(う) hiro(u) pick up, flag down, ten 居 きょ kyo い(る) i(ru) exist, live, house 増える fueru - to proliferate, increase 川の水かさが増してきた kawa no mizu kasa ga masite kita – The river is rising 頑張る ganbaru – to try one’s best 頑張れ！ganbare! – Come on / Keep going! 履く haku - to put on (shoes or socks) 契約を履行する keiyaku o rikou suru – to execute a contract 払う harau – to pay for, to dust 彼女は机の上の埃を払った kanojo wa tsukue no ue no hokori o haratta – She dusted the desktop お金の無い人のために、別の支払い 方法が あります okane no nai hito no tame ni, betsu no siharai houhou ga arimasu – There is an alternate payment method 拾う hirou – find, pick up, flag down (a taxi) 道で財布を 拾った miti de saifu o hirotta – I found a wallet on the road 居る iru – to exist (animate objects) 居住者 kyojuusha – resident 何にかが この部屋に 居るのを 感 じる – I feel something being in this room. 誰か、そこに 居るのですか？dareka, sokoni iru no desu ka – Is there anybody in there? 痛める itameru – to afflict, hurt 足が痛い ashi ga itai – I have sore feet 足を 痛めた ashi o itameta – I injured my foot 言う iu – to say, tell 人の言葉お 理解する 能力が ある ゴリラ – a gorilla that has the ability to understand human language 遺言が あれば 聞こう yuigon ga areba kikou – If you have your last words, I’ll listen 被る kaburu – put on (headwear) 被る koumuru – to suffer 痛 ツウ tsuu いた(い) itai いた(める) ita(meru) painful, hurt 言 ゲン gen ゴン gon こと koto い(う) i(u) say, tell, meaning, language, statement 被 ヒ hi かぶ(る) kabu(ru) こうむ(る) koumuru ゲン gen かぎ(る) kagi(ru) suffer, limit, restrict 限る kagiru – to be limited to か(む) ka(mu) bite, chew 噛む kamu – to bite, chew ショウ shou か(つ) ka(tsu) win, surpass 勝つ katsu – to win, defeat an opponent 勝る masaru – to be superior to 限 噛 勝 put on (for head) ま(さる) masa(ru) 勝ちました か kachimashita ka – Did you win? 変 ヘン hen か(わる) ka(waru) change, be different (from normal state) 鍛 呉 タン tan きた(える) kita(eru) train, forge く(れる) kureru 曲 キョク kyoku ま(がる) ma(garu) / ま(げる) ma(geru) give (indicates a closeness to a person as opposed to あげる which states cold fact) music, 負 フ fu ま(かす) ma(kasu) ま(ける) ma(keru) お(う) o(u) curve, turn negative (maths/physics), lose, carry (an object), take (responsibility) 変わる kawaru – to change 変更 henkou – change, modification 変革 henkaku – change, reform 変な hen(na) – odd, clumsy 鍛える kitaeru – train, strengthen (oneself) 呉れる kureru – give, do a favour for 私の妹が 彼に 本を 呉れた watashi no imouto ga kare ni hon o kureta – My sister gave him a book. 曲がる magaru – turn (around a corner) 曲げる mageru – twist そこで、道が 右へ曲がっている – soko de, miti ga migi e magatte iru – There the road curves to the right 負かす makasu – to defeat, beat (make an opponent lose) 負ける makeru – to lose 負う ou – to take, to assume この件に ついては、私が責任を 負 います kono ken ni tsuite wa watashi ga sekinin o oimasu – I’ll take responsibility for this matter め(し)あ(がる) me(shi)a(garu) eat (polite espression) 召し上がる meshiagaru – eat (polite) マ ma みが(く) miga(ku) brush, polish, grind, 観 カン kan み(る) mi(ru) watch, see 診 貰 シン shin み(る) mi(ru) examine 磨く migaku – brush (teeth), polish (a skill) 技を磨く waza o migaku – to improve one’s skills 観る miru - to watch 観賞 kanshou – enjoy seeing (beautiful charm of a thing) 芝居を見る sibai o miru – to see a play 診る miru – to examine もら(う) mora(u) get, be given, receive, 召し 上が る 磨 improve, refine take (a wife), adopt (a child), win, pick up (disease) 迎 ゲイ gei むか(える) muka(eru) meet, greet 貰う morau – to receive 父から辞書を 貰った chichi kara jisho o moratta – I was given a dictionary from my father かれは あの器量 よしを 嫁に 貰 った kare wa ano kiryou yoshi o yome ni moratta – He married that good-looking woman 迎える mukaeru – to meet, greet (from the airport) 迎春 geishun – Happy New Year straight 眠 チョク choku ジキ jiki ただちに tada(chini) なお(す) nao(su) なお(る) nao(ru) ミン min ねむ(る) nemu(ru) 寝 シン shin ね(る) ne(ru) lie down, go to bed, イン in 飲(む) no(mu) drink, swallow, 直 飲 乗 ジョウ jou の(る) no(ru) の(せる) no(seru) in a moment, soon fix, repair sleep, sleepy have sex take (medicine) step onto, get on, ride, be carried, pick up, give a lift to, 飛行場で 彼を 迎えた hikoujou de kare o mukaeta – I went to meet him at the airport 直す naosu – to fix, repair 空港へ 直接 行く kuukou e chokusetsu iku – I went to meet him at the airport 眠る nemuru – to sleep 睡眠 sleep, slumber 九時に 眠った ku ji ni numutta – I went to sleep at nine 寝る neru – to sleep, to go to bed, to lie down 就寝時間 shuushinn jikan – time for bed あなたは いつも何時に 寝ます か anata wa itsumo nan ji ni nemasu ka – What time do you usually go to bed? 飲む nomu – to drink 飲料水 inryousui – drinking water 乗る noru – to get on (a bus) 乗せる noseru – to pick up, to give a lift 乗車券 joushaken – a (railway) ticket 板の上に乗る ita no ue ni noru – to step take in, deceive 落 ラク raku お(ちる) o(chiru) お(とす) o(tosu) fall, clashed, collapse, drop, lose, set (moon or sun), come off, fade, fail (exam), slow down, go down, decline, pass out (lose consciousness), make one’s opponent faint, remove, capture onto a board (e.g. wooden board) 鐘の音が風に乗って 聞こえて きた kane no oto ga kaze no notte kikoete kita – The sound of a bell was carried on to me on the wind 彼女の甘言に、 まんまと 乗せられ た kanojo no kangen ni manma to noserareta – I was completely taken in by her honeyed words 落ちる ochiru – to fall 落とす otosu – to drop, to lose 落雷 rakurai – lightning (strike on the ground) 壁のペンキを 落とす kabe no penki o otosu – to remove paint from the wall 城を落とす shiro o otosu – to capture a castle 飛行機が 落ちた hikouki ga ochita – The airplane crashed 地震で屋根が落ちた jishin de yane ga ochita – The root collapsed by an earthquake 彼女の成績が 落ちた kanojo no seiseki ga ochita – Her marks went down 財布を 落とした saifu o otoshita – I lost my wallet 彼らは 最も 重要な 試合を落とし た karera wa mottomo juuyou na shiai o otoshita – They lost the most important game 遅 チ chi おく(れる) oku(reru) be late, be delayed, be slow (clock) 折 セツ setsu お(れる) o(reru) お(る) o(ru) おり ori break, fold, folded, bend, turn, give in, yield to 探 タン tan さが(す) saga(su) さ(ぐる) sa(guru) search, look for, investigate 遅延 chien – a delay 遅れる okureru – to be late for, to lag behind 時計が ３分 遅れて いる – The clock is three minutes slow 折る oru – to break 折れる oreru – to break 骨折 kossetsu – fracture 枝を 折る eda o oru – to break a branch 紙を折る kami o oru – to fold a sheet of paper ひざを折る hiza o oru – to bend the knee 何本かの 柱が 地震で折れた nan bon ka no hashira ga jishin de oreta – Some pillars were broken by an earthquake. その角を 右に折れると 図書館が ある sono kado o migi ni oreru to toshokan ga aru – If you turn right at that corner, you will find a post office. 探す sagasu – to look for 探る saguru – to feel for 事故の原因探る jiko no genin o saguru – to investigate the cause of an accident 閉 ヘイ hei し(める) shi(meru) と(じる) to(jiru) shut, close 信 シン shin しん(じる) shin(jiru) believe, trust 進 シン shin すす(む) susu(mu) advance, progress, go on (to college), travel (sound/light), 閉める shimeru – to close 閉門 heimon suru – to close a gate (where subject is building etc. not a person) 店を 閉める mise o shimeru – to close a shop 窓を 閉める mado o shimeru – to close a window 本を 閉じる hon o tojiru – to close a book 目を 閉じる me o tojiru – to close one’s eyes この大学は、夜９時には 閉門 しま す kono daigaku wa, yoru 9 ji ni wa heimon shimasu – This college’s gate is closed at 9 o’clock every night 信じる shinjiru – to believe 何か 信仰は あります か nani ka shinkou wa arimasu – Do you have any faith? 私は あなたの 言う ことを 信じ る watashi wa anata no iu koto o shinjiru – I believe what you say 進む susumu – to advance, progress 進化 shinka – evolution 光は 秒速 ２９９７９２４５８* メートルで まっすぐ 進む hikari wa byousoku 299792458 me-toru de massugu gain, be ready to, be willing to 助 スウ suu かぞ(える) kazo(eru) かず kazu ジョ jo たす(ける) tasu(keru) 戦 セン sen たたか(う) tatakau 数 count, number, figure save, rescue, help war, make war, fight, do battle, susumu – Light travels in straight lines at 299792458 metres per second 彼の仕事は 順調に 進んでいる kare no shigoto wa junchou ni susunde iru – His work has been progressed successfully 時計が 三分 進んでいる tokei ga san pun susunde iru – The clock is three minutes fast 彼は 進んで その 役割を 買って 出た kare wa susunde sono yakuwari o katte deta – He volunteered to play the role * 二億 九千九百七十九万 二千四 百五十八 ni oku, kyuu sen kyuu hyaku nana juu kyuu man, ni sen yon hyaku go juu hachi http://dglenfield.co.uk -> Japanese Basics 数学 suugaku - mathematics 数える kazoeru – to count 救助する kyuujo suru – to save, rescue 助けて ください tasukete kudasai – please help 戦争 sensou – war 戦争を する sensou o suru – make war contend 立 リツ ritsu リュウ ryuu た(てる) ta(teru) た(つ) ta(tsu) stand up, put up, raise, set up, establish, make (sound), make (plan), respect, stand, be (exist), take action, rise up, be reasonable, leave for, start from 戦え！tatakae! – fight! 生々堂々と 戦おう seisei doudou to tatakaou – Let’s play fair 立つ tatsu – to stand 銅像を立てる douzou o tateru – put up a bronze statue 音を立てる oto o tateru – make a noise 埃を立てる hokori o tateru – rise a cloud of dust 計画を立てる keikaku o tateru – make a plan 目標を立てる mokuhyou o tateru – set up a goal 新記録を立てる shinkiroku o tateru – establish a new record 彼はいつも友達を 立てていた kare wa itsumo tomodachi o tateteita – He always paid respect to his friends 彼女は 明日ロンドンを立って、東京 へ向かう kanojo wa asu rondon o tatte, toukyou e mukau – She is leaving London for Tokyo tomorrow. 彼女は議会に 立候補する だろう kanojo wa gikai ni rikkouho suru darou – She will stand for Parliament 奈良の大仏は 七百五十二年に 建立 された nara no daibutsu wa nan hyaku go juu ni nen ni konryuu sareta – The Great Buddha at Nara was erected in 752. 訪 頼 飛 届 ホウ hou たず(ねる) tazu(neru) おとず(れる) otozu(reru) visit ライ rai たの(む) tano(mu) たの(もしい) tano(moshii) たよ(る) tayo(ru) request, ask, ヒ hi と(ぶ) to(bu) と(ばす) to(basu) fly (time) come reliance, depend deliver, send, とど(ける) todo(keru) とど(く) todo(ku) arrive, reach, report, notify 訪ねる tazuneru – to call on 訪れる otozureru – to visit (a place) 訪問 houmon – to pay a visit 訪米 houbei – to visit the USA ついに 夏が 訪れた– tsui ni natsu ga otozureta - Summer has come at last 頼む tanomu – request 頼る tayoru – to depend on 依頼 irai – a request 依頼 する irai suru – to request 彼は 頼もしい 人だ – He is a reliable person 私 から 彼に 頼んで 見ましょう watashi kara kare ni tanonde mimashou – I’ll try to ask him 飛ぶ tobu – to fly 飛ばす tobasu – to send, to fly 飛行機 hikouki – an airplane 飛行船 hikousen – an airship 届ける todokeru – to deliver (from a person) e.g. a mail sent from a person 届く todoku – reach, be received, deliver (object) e.g. a mail which was sent 届いた 書類 todoita shorui – a sent document 泊 ハク haku パク paku と(まる) to(maru) と(める) to(meru) lodge, stay 疲 ヒ hi つか(れ) tsuka(re) つか(れる) tsuka(reru) キン kin つと(める) tsuto(meru) つと(まる) tsuto(maru) fatigue, exhaustion, be tired ゾク zoku つづ(く) tsudu(ku) つづ(ける) tsudu(keru) continue, last occurrence, 勤 続 work (working “for” something e.g. a company) lead to follow if you’re staying overnight you can have a drink (looks like a tall cup) do not confuse with the verb for just “working” 働 hatara(ku) 彼女は 住所の 変更を 市役所に 届けた kanojo wa juusho no henkou o shiyakusho ni todoketa – He notified the city office of her change of address 泊まる tomaru – to stay overnight 泊める tomeru – to take in, to accommodate 三泊する san haku suru – to stay for three nights 疲れる tsukareru – to tire 疲労 hirou – fatigue, exhaustion 疲れ tsukare – fatigue, exhaustion 通勤手当 tsuukin teate – a communication allowance 勤める tsutomeru – to work for, to hold a post 勤まる tsutomaru – to be equal, to be fit 彼は 病院に 勤めている kare wa byouin ni tsutomte iru – He is working for a hospital 続ける tsudukeru - to continue, to go on 相続 souzoku – to inherit その慣習は 二百年間 続いたいる sono kanshuu wa nihyaku nen kan tsuduita iru – The custom continued for two hundred years このところ 飛行機 事故が 続く 酔っ 払 喜 寄 get (be) drunk konotokoro hikouki jiko ga tsuduku – There have been a series of airplane accidents recently この道は オックスフォードに 続い て いる kono michi wa okkusufo-do ni tsuduite iru – This road leads to Oxford 出撃 する ぞ！（皆、私の後に）続 け！ shutsugeki suru zo! (mina watashi no ato ni) tsuduke! – Let’s take the offensive! All after me! 酔っ払う yopparau – to be drunk キ ki よろこ(ぶ) yoroko(bu) happy, delighted 喜ぶ yorokobu – to be happy, delighted キ ki よ(る) yo(ru) よ(せる) yo(seru) come near to, let come near, 寄る yoru – to stop by, drop in 寄せる yoseru – to bring close together 寄付 kifu – a contribution, a donation 彼女は そばへ 寄ってきた kanojo wa soba e yotte kita – She came up to me わきへ寄ってください waki e yotte kudasai – Please step aside 三人寄れば文殊の知恵 san nin yoreba monju no chie – Two heads are better than one (Proverb) よっぱら(う) yoppara(u) gather, call on, call at, be attracted to, fall in love, put one’s trust in, send 笑 ショウ shou わら(う) wara(u) え(む) e(mu) laugh, smile 忘 ボウ bou わす(れる) wasu(reru) forget 渡 ト to わた(す) wata(su) わた(る) wata(ru) hand over, transfer, move (across the sea), ferry, cross, be imported (be introduced), pass 笑う warau – to laugh 明日の ことを 言えば 天井で ね ずみが 笑う asu no koto o ieba tenjou de nezumi ga warau – If you talk about tomorrow the mouse in the ceiling laughs (proverb) 忘れる wasureru – to forget 忘れ物 wasuremono – a thing left behind 忘年会 bounenkai – a year-end party すっかり 忘れました sukkari wasuremashita – I completely forgot 渡す watasu – hand over 渡る wataru – to cross, to get across 渡英する toei suru – to visit the United Kngdom 渡米する tobei suru – to visit the United States 渡り鳥 wataridori – a migratory bird 彼女は 会長の 座を息子に 渡した kanojo wa kaichou no za o musuko ni watashita – She transferred her son to the post of president 彼は 小船で 観光客を 向こう岸へ 渡した kare wa kobune de kankoukyaku o mukou gishi e watashita – He ferried tourists across the river その文化は 中国から 日本へ 渡っ て きた sono bunka wa chuugoku kara nihon e watatte kita – The culture was introduced into Japan from China 晩 バン ban evening, night 今晩は konbanwa – good evening 今晩 konban – this evening 晩ご飯 ban gohan – dinner 週 シュウ shuu week 週末 shuumatsu – weekend 油 ユ yu あぶら abura oil 宅 タク taku home 客 雪 キャク kyaku guest, customer ゆき yuki snow 先々週 sensenshuu – two weeks ago 先週 senshuu - last week 今週 konshuu – this week 来週 raishuu – next week 来来週 rairaishuu – two weeks’ time 油田 yuden – oil field 石油 sekiyu – petroleum 油と 水を混ぜる 事は出来ない abura to mizu o mazeru koto wa dekinai – You cannot mix oil and water お宅 otaku – your home お宅 otaku – a ‘geek’ 帰宅 する kitaku suru – to go home 客 kyaku – customer 乗客 jyou kyaku - passenger 雪 yuki – snow 雪国 yuki guni – a snowy country 度 ド do degree, frequency 一度 ichido – once もう一度 おねがいします mou ichi do onegaishimasu – once more please (“please repeat”) 今度 kondo – next time 速度 sokudo – speed 速達 soku tatsu – express delivery 速 道 ソク soku はや(い) haya(i) fast, speedy ドウ dou みち michi street 北海道 hokkaidou – Hokkaido (northern Japanese island) 長い道 nagai michi – a long road 赤道 seki dou – equator 車道 shadou - roadway 晴 セイ sei は(れ) ha(re) は(れる）ha(reru) fine, clear up 素晴らしい subarashii - wonderful 寺 夫 彼 ジ ji てら tera temple 寺 tera – temple フ fu おっと otto husband 夫 otto – one’s husband 夫婦 fuufu – a married couple かれ kare かの kano he 若 わか(い) waka(i) young 彼 kare – he 彼女 kanojo – she 彼ら karera - they 若さ wakasa – youthfulness 若者 wakamono – a young man 晴れる hareru – to clear up 晴天 seiten – fine weather 働 ドウ dou はたら(く) hatara(ku) work (just “working”, don’t confuse with 動く not “working for ...”) (ugoku – move) – notice the i on the left meaning person – and this is different to 勤 (work “for” a hospital etc.) 働く hataraku – to work 労働 roudou – labour 彼は 働いている kare wa hataraite iru – He is working 部 駅 社 ブ bu department, section, club 部分 bubun – a part, section 全部 zenbu - all エキ eki station 駅長 eki chou – stationmaster 駅員 ekiin – station employee シャ sha ジャ ja shrine, company, assembling 鉄 所 テツ tetsu iron 会社 kaisha – a company 社会 shakai – a society 社長 shachou – company president 鉄槌 tettsui – iron fist (karate move) 地下鉄 chikatetsu - subway ショ sho ジョ jyo ところ tokoro バン ban place, that which シ shi いち ichi city, market 番 市 number, order 所 tokoro – place 台所 daidokoro – kitchen 事務所 jimusho – an office 一番 ichiban – number one 電話番号 denwabangou – telephone number 交番 kouban – police box 市 shi – city 市場 ichiba / 市場 shi jou – a market 市長 shi chou – a mayor 市民 shimin - citizen 都 ト to capital, big city 府 県 島 留 フ fu administrative, prefecture 都会 tokai – urban area 都市 toshi – big city 東京 tokyou - Tokyo 大阪府 oosaka fu – Osaka prefecture 政府 seifu - government ケン ken (also) prefecture 県 ken – a prefecture トウ tou しま shima island 島 shima – island 島国 shima guni – an island nation リュウ ryu と(まる) to(maru) と(める) to(meru) シュク shuku stay, detain 書留 kaki tome – a registered letter 留学 ryuugaku – to study abroad lodging, dwelling 政 セイ sei administration 治 ジ ji おさ(まる) osa(maru) おさ(める) osa(meru) なおる nao(ru) なおす nao(su) govern 宿題 shukudai – homework 宿泊する shukuhaku suru – to stay 宿舎 shuku sha – a dormitory 政治 seiji – politics 行政 gyousei – administration 政府 seifu – a government 治す naosu – to cure, fix 政治家 seijika – a politician 宿 経 ケイ kei control, pass through 歴 レキ reki career 貨 カ ka goods, money 経済 keizai – economy 経営する keiei suru – to manage 経由 keiyu – via, by way of 歴史 rekishi – history 学歴 gakureki – one’s educational background 硬貨 kouka – coin 雑貨 zakka – sundries, misc. goods この 千円札を百円 硬貨 十個に 替えてください kono sen en satsu o hyaku en kouka jyukko ni kaete kudasai – Please change (break) this 1000 yen bill into ten 100 yen coins 五分ばかり この道を行けば、右手に その百貨店が あります gofun bakari kono michi o ikeba, migite ni sono hyakkaten ga arimasu – If you go down the street for about five minutes, and you will see the Department store to the right Writing Kanji: The order and direction of strokes is as follows. Left to right Top to bottom Always write downward Reading Japanese: When reading Japanese it is either left to right (if in a horizontal line) or vertical top to bottom, right to left. Hello World W o r l d H e l l o ダニエル 荻野将司 グレンフィールド Daniel Glenfield http://www.dglenfield.co.uk Masashi Ogino http://massyoggy.spaces.live.com/
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