Grade 2 kanji
Lesson 13

Study & expression

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

language; word

Components

On'yomi

Kun'yomi

かた(る)

Example words
日本語にほんご

Japanese language

英語えいご

English language

語るかたる

to tell, to relate

#2

Meaning

to record, to write down

Components

On'yomi

Kun'yomi

しる(す)

Example words
日記にっき

diary

記入きにゅう

filling in, entry

記者きしゃ

reporter, journalist

#3

Meaning

to measure, to count; plan

Components

On'yomi

ケイ

Kun'yomi

はか(る)

Example words
時計とけい

clock, watch

計算けいさん

calculation

計るはかる

to measure, to time

#4

Meaning

picture, drawing; stroke

Components

On'yomi

ガ | カク

Example words
映画えいが

movie, film

画家がか

painter, artist

図画ずが

drawing (school subject)

#5

Meaning

shape, form

Components

On'yomi

ケイ | ギョウ

Kun'yomi

かた | かたち

Example words
姿形すがたかたち

figure, appearance

人形にんぎょう

doll

三角形さんかっけい

triangle

#6

Meaning

point, dot; score

Components

On'yomi

テン

Example words
百点ひゃくてん

full marks, 100 points

点数てんすう

score, marks

#7

Meaning

straight; direct; to fix

Components

On'yomi

チョク | ジキ

Kun'yomi

なお(す) | なお(る)

Example words
直すなおす

to fix, to correct

直るなおる

to be fixed, to recover

正直しょうじき

honest, upright

直接ちょくせつ

direct, firsthand

#8

Meaning

answer, reply

Components

On'yomi

トウ

Kun'yomi

こた(える) | こた(え)

Example words
答えるこたえる

to answer

答えこたえ

an answer

回答かいとう

reply, response

#9

Meaning

to think, to feel

Components

On'yomi

Kun'yomi

おも(う)

Example words
思うおもう

to think, to feel

思考しこう

thought, thinking

思い出おもいで

memory, recollection

#10

Meaning

paper

Components

On'yomi

Kun'yomi

かみ

Example words
紙くずかみくず

scrap paper

手紙てがみ

letter

新聞紙しんぶんし

newspaper (the paper)

Practice

Test yourself on this lesson's kanji.