MIT Lesson 12 Kanji: 第12課の漢字

 

Each large, brush-stroke image below which shows up as a hypertext link (e.g. has a colored box around it) is a link to a 1 Megabyte (or less) QuickTime movie of the character being painted with a brush.

JP NET is grateful to Prof. Saeko Komori of Chubu University for permission to use the kanji movies at our site. All movie data is copyright 1995, 1996 by Saeko Komori.


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


Printed form:
Readings:
カン
KAN
Meaning:
Han dynasty
Mnemonic:
The kanji came to Japan at the time of Hay dynasty in China. The water radical on the left, the grass symbol on top, mouth 口 and multiple men 夫.
Usage Examples:
漢字 (かんじ) Chinese characters

Printed form:
Readings:
JI
Meaning:
letter; character
Mnemonic:
There is a child learning alphabets under the roof.
Usage Examples:
すう字 (すうじ) numbers

Printed form:
Readings:
い(う)
i
Meaning:
to say
Mnemonic:
Sound waves coming out from the mouth 口.
Usage Examples:
言う (いう) say
言って下さい (いってください) Please say it.

Printed form:
Readings:
よ(む)
yo
Meaning:
to read
Mnemonic:
The word radical 言 and the kanji 売 "to sell".
Usage Examples:
読む (よむ) read
読みました (よみました) (I) read it.
読んでいます (よんでいます) (I'm) reading it.

Printed form:
Readings:
えき
eki
Meaning:
station
Mnemonic:
Horse 馬 and measurement 尺.  
Usage Examples:
駅 (えき) station
東京駅 (とうきょうえき) Tokyo Station

Printed form:
Readings:
ベン
BEN
Meaning:
self-exertion
Mnemonic:
Power 力 to draw out 免. [男(おとこ)"man"]
Usage Examples:
勉強 (べんきょう) study

Printed form:
Readings:
つよ(い)/キョウ
tsuyo/KYOO
Meaning:
strong
Mnemonic:
Bow 弓 and insect 虫 under your nose ム!
Usage Examples:
強い (つよい) strong

Printed form:
Readings:
もう(す)
moo
Meaning:
to say (humbly)
Mnemonic:
Words passing through the lips 日. [中(ちゅう)"middle"]
Usage Examples:
申す (もうす) say (humbly)
申しわけない (もうしわけない) I'm sorry.

Printed form:
Readings:
ヨウ
YOO
Meaning:
matters to attend to
Mnemonic:
This business nees many moons 月 to complete.
Usage Examples:
用事 (ようじ) matters to attend to

Printed form:
Readings:
ギン
GIN
Meaning:
silver
Mnemonic:
I am going to the bank to get money 金 to buy some food 食.
Usage Examples:
銀行 (ぎんこう) bank

Printed form:
Readings:
CHI
Meaning:
ground
Mnemonic:
A snake 也 crawling on the ground 土.
Usage Examples:
地図 (ちず) map

Printed form:
Readings:
ZU
Meaning:
map; to plan
Mnemonic:
A square piece of paper with roads and buildings indicated.
Usage Examples:
() map

Printed form:
Readings:
バン
BAN
Meaning:
numerical order
Mnemonic:
Scattering rice grains 米 over rice fields 田.
Usage Examples:
番号 (ばんごう) number

Printed form:
Readings:
ゴウ
GOO
Meaning:
numerical designation
Mnemonic:
You have just been called out 口, "No. 5 person, please come in."
Usage Examples:
電話番号 (でんわばんごう) telephone number

New Readings:
中田さん (なかたさん/なかださん) (Mr/Ms) Nakata/Nakada
明日 (みょうにち/あした) tomorrow
明後日 (みょうごにち/あさって) the day after tomorrow
後ほど (のちほど) later

[J3 Kanji]