Kanji Nr.45 北

Kanji 漢字

北

Kun-reading 訓読

きた

On-reading 音読

ホク 

Meaning　意味

north

JLPT Level 日本語能力試験

JLPT N5

Compound 熟語 / Grammar 文法

北　きた　north
北東　north east
北西　ほくせい　north west
北海道　ほっかいどう　Hokkaido

Kanji Nr.44 女

Kanji 漢字

女

Kun-reading 訓読

おんな

On-reading 音読

ジョ　ニョ　ニョウ

Meaning　意味

women, female

JLPT Level 日本語能力試験

JLPT N5

Compound 熟語 / Grammar 文法

女　おんな　female

女の人　おんなのひと　women

女の子　おんなのこ　girl

女子　じょし　girl

長女　ちょうじょ　 eldest daughter

乙女　おとめ　maiden

女神　めがみ　goddess

男女　だんじょ　men and women
老若男女　ろうにゃくなんにょ　men and women (every age)

Kanji Nr.43 話

Kanji 漢字

話

Kun-reading 訓読

はな　はなし

On-reading 音読

ワ

Meaning　意味

tale, talk

JLPT Level 日本語能力試験

JLPT N5

Compound 熟語 / Grammar 文法

話す　はなす　speak, talk
話し合う　はなしあう　discuss
話　はなし　talk, speech
話題　わだい　topic, subject
会話　かいわ　conversation
童話　どうわ　fairytale
神話　しんわ　mythology
恋話　こいばな　love talk
...話　...わ　counter for episodes, chapter etc.

Kanji Nr.42 山

Kanji 漢字

山

Kun-reading 訓読

やま

On-reading 音読

サン　セン

Meaning　意味

mountain

JLPT Level 日本語能力試験

JLPT N5

Compound 熟語 / Grammar 文法

山　やま　mountain

火山　かざん　volcano

...山　...サン　Mount...

富士山　ふじさん　Mount Fuji

登山　とざん　climbing

沢山　たくさん　a lot

山のような　やまのような　a lot

Kanji Nr.41 七

Kanji 漢字

七

Kun-reading 訓読

なな　なの

On-reading 音読

シチ

Meaning　意味

seven

JLPT Level 日本語能力試験

JLPT N5

Compound 熟語 / Grammar 文法

七　なな、しち　seven
七日　なのか　seventh day
七つ　ななつ　seven (pieces)
七月　しちがつ　July

Kanji Nr.40 小

Kanji 漢字

小

Kun-reading 訓読

ちい　こ　お　さ

On-reading 音読

ショウ

Meaning　意味

little, small

JLPT Level 日本語能力試験

JLPT N5

Compound 熟語 / Grammar 文法

小さい　ちいさい　small, little, tiny
小っちゃい　ちっちゃい　tiny, little　
縮小　しゅくしょう　reduction
小説　しょうせつ　novel, (short) story
小屋　こや　hut, cabin, shed
小銭　こぜに　coins, small change
小...　しょう...　small
小学校　しょうがっこう　primary school
小...　こ...　small
小猫　こねこ　kitten, small cat

Kanji Nr.39 気

Kanji 漢字

気

Kun-reading 訓読

いき

On-reading 音読

き　げ

Meaning　意味

spirit, mind, air

JLPT Level 日本語能力試験

JLPT N5

Compound 熟語 / Grammar 文法

気　き　spirit, mind,
元気　げんき　healthy, robust
湯気　ゆげ　steam, vapour
気圧　きあつ　atmospheric pressure
天気　てんき　weather
　気配　けはい　presence
殺気　さっき　thirst of blood
蒸気　じょうき　steam vapour

Kanji Nr.38 来

Kanji 漢字

来

Kun-reading 訓読

く　きた　き　こ

On-reading 音読

ライ　タイ

Meaning　意味

come, due, next, cause, become

JLPT Level 日本語能力試験

JLPT N5

Compound 熟語 / Grammar 文法

来る　くる　to come, to approach, to arrive
出来る　できる　can, to be able to do, to be ready
来るべき　きたるべき　expected to arrive (occur)
出来事　できごと　incident, affair, happening
来...　らい...　next...
来年　らいねん　next year
再来週　さらいしゅう　week after next
　由来　ゆらい　origin, source
以来　いらい　since, henceforth
家来　けらい　servant, retainer, retinue
外来　がいらい　external origin, imported

Kanji Nr.37 下

Kanji 漢字

下

Kun-reading 訓読

した　しも　もと　さ　くだ　お

On-reading 音読

か　げ

Meaning　意味

below, down, descend, give, low

JLPT Level 日本語能力試験

JLPT N5

Compound 熟語 / Grammar 文法

下す　おろす　to take down, to drop,
下さる　くださる　to give, to confer
下す　くだす　to make (a decision), to pass (judgement)
下げる　さげる　to hang, to suspend
下　した　under, below
下手　へた　unskillful, poor
地下　ちか　basement, cellar, underground
落下　らっか　fall, drop, come down
靴下　くつした　socks
上下　じょうげ　top and bottom, high and low
下ネタ　しもねた　dirty joke

Kanji Nr.36 六

Kanji 漢字

六

Kun-reading 訓読

む　むい

On-reading 音読

ロク　リク

Meaning　意味

six

JLPT Level 日本語能力試験

JLPT N5

Compound 熟語 / Grammar 文法

六　ろく　six
六日　むいか　6th day
六つ　むっつ　six (pieces)
六月　ろくがつ　june

Kanji Nr.35 八

Kanji 漢字

八

Stroke Order 書き順

Kun-reading 訓読

や　やっ　よう

On-reading 音読

ハチ

Meaning　意味

eight

JLPT Level 日本語能力試験

JLPT N5

Compound 熟語 / Grammar 文法

八　はち　eight

八月　はちがつ　August

八日　ようか　The 8th

八つ　やつ　eight (pieces)

八百屋　やおや　A greengrocer

七転八起　ななころびやおき　vicissitudes of life

(fall seven times, stand up eight times)

Kanji Nr.34 外

Kanji 漢字

外

Stroke Order 書き順

Kun-reading 訓読

そと　ほか　はず

On-reading 音読

がい　ゲ　

Meaning　意味

outside

JLPT Level 日本語能力試験

JLPT N5

Compound 熟語 / Grammar 文法

外　そと　outside
室外　がいしつ 　outdoor
外れる　はずれる　to get out
外す　はずす　to remove, to unfasten

海外　かいがい　overseas
外国　外国人
がいこく　がいこくじん
foreign countries　foreigner
以外　いがい　other than
外科　げか　surgery, surgical department

Kanji Nr.33 子

Kanji 漢字

子

Stroke Order 書き順

Kun-reading 訓読

こ　ね　

On-reading 音読

シ　ス　ツ

Meaning　意味

Kid

JLPT Level 日本語能力試験

JLPT N5

Compound 熟語 / Grammar 文法

子　こ　kid

子供　こども　kid

息子　むすこ　son

子猫　こねこ　small cat

子犬　こいぬ　puppy, small dog

様子　ようす　state, appearance

双子　ふたご　twins

王子　おうじ　prince

女子　じょし　girls

利子　りし　interest (rate)

粒子　りゅうし　particle

帽子　ボウシ　hat

椅子　いす　chair

Confusing Kanji - Part 4 -

A radical difference

In part four of my series Confusing Kanji, i want to show some Kanji, where a radical inside the Kanji is changed, but the still looks similar.

1. Mei (fate life, command), Rei (orders, command), Kai (to meet, meeting) and Kon (now)

命　令　会　今　

As you see, the top of these four Kanji are the same, but the lower part is different. You will see the first two often in combination as meirei (命令). Especially rei and kon are easy to get mixed up, since the only difference is the line on the bottom.

2. Koyomi (calendar) and Ma (grind, polish)

暦　磨

Notice that there are two differences. The first is the radical in the lower part. While the koyomi has nichi, ma has the ishi radical. And second, on top of the Kanji the small line is not needed in the koyomi Kanji.

3. Sora (sky), Kyuu (research, study) and Totsu (stab, thrusting)

空　究　突*

As with number 1 the top is same in all three Kanji. The sora Kanji has the radical takumi, kyuu the radical kyuu as the number nine and totsu has the big radical dai. As a reading tip, the first one share the same onyomi with their lower radical.

* I don't know why blogspot prints this Kanji with the dog radical inu. While it exists, it is not in the JLPT and the normally used one, is the one described above with the dai radical without the dot.

4.  Tera (temple), Shi (samurai, warrior), Tai (wait, depend on) and Ji (hold, have)

寺　侍　待　持

The difference in these four Kanji is obviously the radical in the front.

The Kanji shi, tai and ji share all the tera radical which is the Kanji for temple (buddhist). The radical in front of shi is hito so we can remember, that this Kanji is related to a person, therefore samurai. The radical in front tai means to stop, we know it from 行く, which means "to go", so it indicates something involving movement. As with the radical hito, the radical for hand also looks sometimes different. It's the one in front on ji, so doing something with your hand.

5. Bun (hear, ask, listen), Mon (ask, question, problem) and Kan (space, interval) 

聞　問　間

Τhe bun Kanji has the mimi radical for ear, that is why this Kanji also means "to listen" and not only to ask. The mon Kanji on the other hand has the kuchi radical for mouth, so it can only be used for "asking" or for problem as in mondai (問題). The third on means space or interval has the nichi radical.

In the next part i will show some more Kanji which change with a radical.

Kanji Nr.32 円

Kanji 漢字

円

Stroke Order 書き順

Kun-reading 訓読

まる　まど　まろ

On-reading 音読

エン

Meaning　意味

round, circular, Yen

JLPT Level 日本語能力試験

JLPT N5

Compound 熟語 / Grammar 文法

円　えん　yen

...円　...えん　...yen

円い　まるい　round, circular

円やか　まろやか　circular

楕円　だえん　ellipse

Kanji Nr.31 高

Kanji 漢字

高

Stoke Order 書き順

Kun-reading 訓読

たか　だか　

On-reading 音読

コウ

Meaning　意味

high, expensive

JLPT Level 日本語能力試験

JLPT N5

Compound 熟語 / Grammar 文法

高い　たかい　high, expensive
高める　たかめる　increase (transitive verb)
高まる　たかまる　to rise (intransitive verb)
高所　こうしょ　high place
高級　こうきゅう　high class, luxury
高所得　こうしょとく　high income
残高　ざんだか　 balance (money)

Confusing Kanji - Part 3 -

One line difference

Lets look at five more Confusing Kanji where a small line can make difference.

1. Shin (spicey, bitter) and kou (happiness, blessing)

辛　幸　

While meaning almost the opposite, the Kanji looks almost the same. The only difference is the horizontal line on the top of the kou Kanji.

2. Ei (long, eternity), Sui (water) and Koori (ice)

永　水　氷

The biggest difference is the small point on top of the Kanji to differentiate the vertical line in the middle. Notice the small horizontal line on top of the body, coming from the left. Normally you draw this line, too. The Kanji for koori is the same as mizu mizu, but with a small line on the left side of the vertical line in the middle and over the left part.

3. Uri (melon) and Tsume (fingernail, toenail)

瓜　 爪

The Kanji for uri and tsume can be confusing, but the good thing is, that the uri Kanji is uncommon and not even in the JLPT. But when being in Japan, you will be seeing it. Most likely for Melon and Cucumber ( 胡瓜 ).

4. Ji (character, letter, word) and Gaku (science, learning)

字　学

The ji and gaku are thematically related, so you may see them in the same Text. The difference is the radical on top. The gaku Kanji has three lines, while the ji only has on.

5. Hoku (north) and Hi (compare)

北　比　

The next two are the Kanji for hoku and hi. Here the difference is the left radical. The vertical line of the left radical of hoku Kanji goes through and is made up of three lines, while he hi Kanji is just to lines, with the end pointing to the right.

With the difference in the radical with the last two examples, the next Parts will concentrate on confusing Kanji, where the radical make the difference.

Kanji Nr.30 学

Kanji 漢字

学

Stroke Order 書き順

Kun-reading  訓読

まな

On-reading  音読

ガク

Meaning　意味

learn, science

JLPT Level 日本語能力試験

JLPT N5

Compound 熟語 / Grammar 文法

学ぶ　まなぶ　to learn
学生　がくせい　student
学校　がっこう　school
大学　だいがく　university
入学　にゅうがく entering a school or university
...学　...がく　...science
科学　かがく　science
理学　りがく　natural science
文学　ぶんがく　literature
数学　すうがく　math
学習　がくしゅう　learning, studying
留学　りゅうがく　study abroad
見学　けんがく　study of observation,
奨学金　しょうがくきん　scholarship