Movement & food

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).

?

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

#1

Meaning

to run

Components

On'yomi

ソウ

Kun'yomi

はし(る)

Example words
走るはしる

to run

競走きょうそう

a race

走者そうしゃ

runner

#2

Meaning

to walk

Components

On'yomi

ホ | ブ

Kun'yomi

ある(く) | あゆ(む)

Example words
歩くあるく

to walk

散歩さんぽ

a walk, a stroll

歩道ほどう

sidewalk

#3

Meaning

to stop

Components

On'yomi

Kun'yomi

と(まる) | と(める)

Example words
止まるとまる

to stop, to halt

中止ちゅうし

cancellation, suspension

禁止きんし

prohibition

#4

Meaning

pass through; commute

Components

On'yomi

ツウ | ツ

Kun'yomi

とお(る) | かよ(う)

Example words
通るとおる

to pass, to go through

通うかよう

to commute, to attend regularly

交通こうつう

traffic

#5

Meaning

to pull; lead

Components

On'yomi

イン

Kun'yomi

ひ(く)

Example words
引くひく

to pull, to draw

引力いんりょく

gravity, attraction

字引じびき

dictionary

#6

Meaning

to eat; food

Components

On'yomi

ショク | ジキ

Kun'yomi

た(べる) | く(う)

Example words
食べるたべる

to eat

食事しょくじ

meal

朝食ちょうしょく

breakfast

#7

Meaning

rice; America (abbrev.)

Components

On'yomi

ベイ | マイ

Kun'yomi

こめ

Note

Also abbreviates America (アメリカ), e.g. 米国 = the USA.

Example words
米粒こめつぶ

grain of rice

新米しんまい

new rice; a novice

米国べいこく

the United States

#8

Meaning

meat, flesh

Components

On'yomi

ニク

Example words
牛肉ぎゅうにく

beef

肉体にくたい

the physical body

#9

Meaning

tea

Components

On'yomi

チャ | サ

Example words
お茶おちゃ

tea

茶色ちゃいろ

brown (color)

紅茶こうちゃ

black tea

#10

Meaning

wheat, barley

Components

On'yomi

バク

Kun'yomi

むぎ

Example words
小麦こむぎ

wheat

麦茶むぎちゃ

barley tea

Practice

Test yourself on this lesson's kanji.