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:
- 漢
- 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:
- 字
- Readings:
- ジ
- 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:
- 言
- 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:
- 読
- 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:
- 駅
- 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:
- 勉
- 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:
- 強
- 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:
- 申
- 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:
- 用
- 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:
- 銀
- 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:
- 地
- Readings:
- チ
- CHI
- Meaning:
- ground
- Mnemonic:
- A snake 也 crawling on the ground 土.
- Usage Examples:
- 地図 (ちず) map
- Printed form:
- 図
- Readings:
- ズ
- ZU
- Meaning:
- map; to plan
- Mnemonic:
- A square piece of paper with roads and buildings indicated.
- Usage Examples:
- () map
- Printed form:
- 番
- 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:
- 号
- 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]