MIT Lesson 11 Kanji: 第11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:
Readings:
ちち/フ
chichi/FU
Meaning:
father
Mnemonic:
A picture of a hand holding a stick.
Usage Examples:
父 (ちち) (my)father
お父さん (おとうさん) father (polite)
そ父 (そふ) (my)grandfather

Printed form:
Readings:
はは/ボ
haha/BO
Meaning:
mother
Mnemonic:
The combination of 女 and two dots of nipples.
Usage Examples:
母 (はは) (my)mother
お母さん (おかあさん) mother (polite)
そ母 (そぼ) (my)grandmother
父母 (ふぼ) (my)parents

Printed form:
Readings:
あに/キョウ
ani/KYOO
Meaning:
older brother
Mnemonic:
My older brother has a big mouth 口 and big feet.
Usage Examples:
お兄さん (おにいさん) older brother (polite)
兄 (あに) (my)older brother

Printed form:
Readings:
おとうと/ダイ
otooto/DAI
Meaning:
younger brother
Mnemonic:
My younger brother is mischievous like a kid goat with two horns.
Usage Examples:
弟 (おとうと) (my)younger brother
ご兄弟 (ごきょうだい) siblings (polite)

Printed form:
Readings:
あね
ane
Meaning:
older sister
Mnemonic:
A woman 女 in a big city 市 (Can you visualize a human figure with her hands on her waist and knitted brows?)
Usage Examples:
姉 (あね) (my)older sister
お姉さん (おねえさん) older sister (polite)

Printed form:
Readings:
いもうと
imooto
Meaning:
younger sister
Mnemonic:
A woman 女 and a tree not yet fully grown 末.
Usage Examples:
妹 (いもうと) (my)younger sister

Printed form:
主 DT>Readings:
シュ
SHU
Meaning:
main; chief
Mnemonic:
A master is a king 王 with an added dot on top.
Usage Examples:
主人 (しゅじん) (my)husband /DL>
Printed form:
Readings:
ナイ
NAI
Meaning:
inside
Mnemonic:
A person 人 inside a warm blanket.
Usage Examples:
家内 (かない) (my)wife

Printed form:
Readings:
いえ(うち)/カ
ie(uchi)/KA
Meaning:
house; home
Mnemonic:
The roof radical on top and pigs 豚 under. [安(やす)"cheap; peaceful"]
Usage Examples:
家 (いえ/うち) house; home
家ぞく (かぞく) (my) family

Printed form:
Readings:
リョウ
RYOO
Meaning:
both; two
Mnemonic:
Two balanced objects on a scale.
Usage Examples:
両親 (りょうしん) (my)parents

Printed form:
Readings:
シン/おや
SHIN/oya
Meaning:
parent
Mnemonic:
A person watching 見 over you standing 立 behind a tree 木.
Usage Examples:
親 (おや) (my)parent
父親 (ちちおや) (my)father
母親 (ははおや) (my)mother

Printed form:
Readings:
あ(う)/カイ
a/KAI
Meaning:
to meet
Mnemonic:
Two 二 noses ム under one roof having a meeting.
Usage Examples:
会ぎ (かいぎ) conference
会う (あう) meet

Printed form:
社 DT>Readings:
シャ/ジャ
SHA/JA
Meaning:
company
Mnemonic:
ネ(=示 "to show; to point out") and the earth 土.
Usage Examples:
会社 (かいしゃ) company DD>じん社 (じんじゃ) shinto shrine /DL>
Printed form:
Readings:
おも(う)
omo
Meaning:
to think
Mnemonic:
The upper part indicates the brain and the lower part is an actual picture of the heart 心.
Usage Examples:
思う (おもう) think

New Readings:
後で (あとで) later
四国 (しこく) Shikoku Island
外国語 (がいこくご) foreign language
東大 (とうだい) Tokyo University
京大 (きょうだい) Kyoto University