MIT Lesson 4 Kanji: 第４課の漢字
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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:
- 分
- Readings:
- わ(かります) wa(karimasu) - understand
- フン、-プン (hun, -pun) - unit of time/arc
- Mnemonic:
- The number eight 八 and a sword 刀 to represent the
meaning of "to divide". When you understand, it means that
you can see the difference from one to the other.
- Usage Examples:
- 分かります (わかります) (I) understand.
- 一分 (いっぷん) one minute
- 五分 (ごふん) five minutes
- Printed form:
- 行
- Readings:
- い(きます)
- i(kimasu)
- Meaning:
- to go
- Mnemonic:
- Two persons イ go together.
- Usage Examples:
- 行きます (いきます) (I) will go.
- Printed form:
- 来
- Readings:
- き- / く-
- ki- / ku-
- Meaning:
- to come
- Mnemonic:
- The coming of rice grains 米 is a gift from heaven. The top line
emphasizes the yield.
- Usage Examples:
- 来ません (きません) (I) won't come.
- 来る (くる) to come
- Printed form:
- 高
- Readings:
- たか-
- taka-
- Meaning:
- expensive; high
- Mnemonic:
- An image of a two-story house.
- Usage Examples:
- 高いです (たかいです) (It) is expensive.
- 高田さん (たかださん) (Mr.) Takada
- Printed form:
- 安
- Readings:
- やす-
- yasu-
- Meaning:
- cheap; peaceful
- Mnemonic:
- A woman 女 under a roof ウ(as in 家(house), 室(room),
院(institute)).
She is the one who generates "peace" in the house.
- Usage Examples:
- 安いです (やすいです) (It) is cheap.
- 安田さん (やすださん) (Mr.) Yasuda
- Printed form:
- 大
- Readings:
- おお-
- oo-
- Meaning:
- big
- Mnemonic:
- An image of a person with arms stretching wide--big, strong person.
- Usage Examples:
- 大きいです (おおきいです) (It) is big.
- Printed form:
- 小
- Readings:
- ちい- (chii-) small
- こ- (ko-) small (prefix)
- Mnemonic:
- An image of a person with arms hanging down - a small, weak person.
- Usage Examples:
- 小さいです (ちいさいです) (It) is small.
- 小山さん (こやまさん) (Mr.) Koyama
- Printed form:
- 田
- Readings:
- た(-だ)
- ta(da)
- Meaning:
- rice field
- Mnemonic:
- Rice fields in Japan are square and divided by narrow paths.
- Usage Examples:
- 大田さん (おおたさん) (Mr.) Oota
- 小田さん (おださん) (Mr.) Oda
- Printed form:
- 中
- Readings:
- なか (naka) middle; inside
- チュウ (tyuu) middle; China
- Mnemonic:
- An arrow striking through the middle of something.
- Usage Examples:
- 田中さん (たなかさん) (Mr.) Tanaka
- 中田さん (/なかたさん) (Mr.) Nakada/Nakata
- 中山さん (なかやまさん) (Mr.) Nakayama
- 中ごく (ちゅうごく) China
- Printed form:
- 日
- Readings:
- ニチ
- NICHI
- Meaning:
- day; sun
- Mnemonic:
- An image of the sun.
- Usage Examples:
- 日本 (にほん) Japan
- Printed form:
- 本
- Readings:
- ホン(/ボン/ポン)/もと
- HON(-PON/-BON)/moto
- Meaning:
- origin; book; (classifier of long objects)
- Mnemonic:
- A tree 木 and a short stroke at the buttom representing roots.
A book is a source of knowledge.
- Usage Examples:
- 本 (ほん) book
- 一本 (いっぽん) one (long object)
- Printed form:
- 山
- Readings:
- やま
- yama
- Meaning:
- mountain (See also L.15A Photographic Vocabulary Aid)
- Mnemonic:
- Shape of a mountain with three summits.
- Usage Examples:
- 山田さん (やまださん) (Mr.) Yamada
- 山本さん (やまもとさん) (Mr.) Yamamoto
- Printed form:
- 語
- Readings:
- ゴ
- GO
- Meaning:
- language
- Mnemonic:
- The combination of 言(to say), 五(five), and 口(mouth), symbolizing
"many toungues".
- Usage Examples:
- 日本語 (にほんご) Japanese (language)
- ドイツ語 (ドイツご) German (language)
- Printed form:
- 川
- Readings:
- かわ
- kawa
- Meaning:
- river
- Mnemonic:
- The course of river
- Usage Examples:
- 大川さん[おおかわさん] () (Mr.) Ookawa
- 小川さん[おがわさん] () (Mr.) Ogawa
- 川本さん[かわもとさん] () (Mr.) Kawamoto