Common verbs

Tap an example word to hear it pronounced.

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).

?

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

#1

Meaning

say, word

Components

Example words

to say

こと

word, language

ほうげん

dialect

#2

Meaning

talk, story

Components

Example words
はな

to speak, to talk

はなし

discussion, talk

でん

telephone

#3

Meaning

hear, ask

Components

Example words

to listen, to ask

しんぶん

newspaper

こえる

to be audible

#4

Meaning

to read

Components

Example words

to read

どくしょ

reading

おんどく

reading aloud

#5

Meaning

write; book

Components

Example words

to write

どくしょ

reading

しょ

dictionary

#6

Meaning

to buy, purchase

Components

Example words

to buy

もの

shopping

ばいばい

buying and selling

#7

Meaning

to sell

Components

Example words

to sell

ばいてん

shop, stand

ばいばい

buying and selling

#8

Meaning

go; line

Components

Example words

to go

ぎんこう

bank

りょこう

travel, trip

#9

Meaning

come

Components

Example words

to come

らいねん

next year

らいしゅう

next week

#10

Meaning

return, go home

Components

Example words
かえ

to return, to go home

こく

returning to your country

がえ

day trip

Practice

Test yourself on this lesson's kanji.