Time & seasons

Tap an example word to hear it pronounced.

On'yomi (音読み) is the reading borrowed from Chinese, usually used in compound words, e.g. 三月 (さんがつ, March).

Kun'yomi (訓読み) is the native Japanese reading, used when the kanji stands alone or takes kana endings, e.g. 三つ (みっつ, three items).

By convention the readings list writes on'yomi in katakana (シュ) and kun'yomi in hiragana (さけ). Example words show furigana in hiragana, so the same on'yomi can look like シュ in the list but しゅ in a word.

Blue - the main radical the kanji is filed under in dictionaries.

Green - a component that hints at the meaning.

Orange - a component that hints at the reading (sound).

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Grey - another building block, with no clear meaning or sound role.

#1

Meaning

now

Components

On'yomi

コン | キン

Kun'yomi

いま

Example words
ただ今ただいま

I'm home; just now

今日きょう

today

今月こんげつ

this month

#2

Meaning

time, hour

Components

On'yomi

Kun'yomi

とき

Example words
時々ときどき

sometimes

時間じかん

time, hour

何時なんじ

what time

#3

Meaning

morning

Components

On'yomi

チョウ

Kun'yomi

あさ

Example words
朝食ちょうしょく

breakfast

毎朝まいあさ

every morning

#4

Meaning

noon, daytime

Components

On'yomi

チュウ

Kun'yomi

ひる

Example words
昼食ちゅうしょく

lunch

昼間ひるま

daytime

#5

Meaning

night

Components

On'yomi

Kun'yomi

よる | よ

Example words
夜空よぞら

night sky

今夜こんや

tonight

夜中よなか

midnight, late night

#6

Meaning

week

Components

On'yomi

シュウ

Example words
今週こんしゅう

this week

週末しゅうまつ

weekend

毎週まいしゅう

every week

#7

Meaning

spring

Components

On'yomi

シュン

Kun'yomi

はる

Example words
春休みはるやすみ

spring break

春分しゅんぶん

spring equinox

立春りっしゅん

start of spring

#8

Meaning

summer

Components

On'yomi

カ | ゲ

Kun'yomi

なつ

Example words
夏休みなつやすみ

summer vacation

真夏まなつ

midsummer

#9

Meaning

autumn, fall

Components

On'yomi

シュウ

Kun'yomi

あき

Example words
秋風あきかぜ

autumn wind

秋分しゅうぶん

autumn equinox

立秋りっしゅう

start of autumn

#10

Meaning

winter

Components

On'yomi

トウ

Kun'yomi

ふゆ

Example words
冬休みふゆやすみ

winter vacation

立冬りっとう

start of winter

Practice

Test yourself on this lesson's kanji.