Grade 2 kanji
Lesson 16

Time, travel & making things

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

interval, space; between

Components

On'yomi

カン | ケン

Kun'yomi

あいだ | ま

Example words
時間じかん

time, hour

人間にんげん

human being

間柄あいだがら

relationship

#2

Meaning

steam, vapor

Components

On'yomi

Example words
汽車きしゃ

steam train

汽船きせん

steamship

汽笛きてき

steam whistle

#3

Meaning

noon, midday

Components

On'yomi

Example words
午前ごぜん

morning, a.m.

午後ごご

afternoon, p.m.

正午しょうご

noon exactly

#4

Meaning

temple

Components

On'yomi

Kun'yomi

てら

Example words
寺子屋てらこや

temple school (Edo era)

山寺やまでら

mountain temple

寺院じいん

temple (Buddhist)

#5

Meaning

to cut; earnest, important

Components

On'yomi

セツ | サイ

Kun'yomi

き(る) | き(れる)

Example words
切るきる

to cut

大切たいせつ

important, precious

切手きって

postage stamp

#6

Meaning

ship, boat

Components

On'yomi

セン

Kun'yomi

ふね | ふな

Example words
渡し船わたしぶね

ferry boat

船長せんちょう

ship captain

汽船きせん

steamship

#7

Meaning

line, wire; route

Components

On'yomi

セン

Example words
電線でんせん

electric wire

線路せんろ

railway track

直線ちょくせん

straight line

#8

Meaning

to assemble; group, class

Components

On'yomi

Kun'yomi

く(む) | くみ

Example words
組み立てくみみたて

assembly, structure

番組ばんぐみ

TV/radio program

組むくむ

to assemble, to put together

#9

Meaning

to hit; right, suitable; this

Components

On'yomi

トウ

Kun'yomi

あ(たる) | あ(てる)

Example words
当たるあたる

to hit, to be correct

本当ほんとう

truth, really

当番とうばん

person on duty

#10

Meaning

picture, drawing, painting

Components

On'yomi

カイ | エ

Example words
絵本えほん

picture book

絵画かいが

painting, picture

Practice

Test yourself on this lesson's kanji.