Grade 3 kanji
Lesson 12

Buildings & structures

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

to open

Components

On'yomi

カイ

Kun'yomi

ひら(く) | あ(ける)

Example words
開くひらく

to open (up), to bloom

開けるあける

to open (something)

開店かいてん

opening a shop

#2

Meaning

floor, story; rank

Components

On'yomi

カイ

Example words
階段かいだん

stairs, steps

一階いっかい

first floor, ground floor

二階にかい

second floor

#3

Meaning

institution (hospital, temple, academy)

Components

On'yomi

イン

Example words
病院びょういん

hospital

入院にゅういん

hospitalization

大学院だいがくいん

graduate school

#4

Meaning

station

Components

On'yomi

エキ

Example words
駅前えきまえ

in front of the station

駅員えきいん

station staff

#5

Meaning

center, middle

Components

On'yomi

オウ

Example words
中央ちゅうおう

center, middle

中央線ちゅうおうせん

the Chuo Line

#6

Meaning

side, horizontal; beside

Components

On'yomi

オウ

Kun'yomi

よこ

Example words
横顔よこがお

profile (of a face)

横書きよこがき

horizontal writing

#7

Meaning

pillar, post, column

Components

On'yomi

チュウ

Kun'yomi

はしら

Example words
柱時計はしらどけい

pendulum wall clock

電柱でんちゅう

utility pole

門柱もんちゅう

gatepost

#8

Meaning

board, plank

Components

On'yomi

ハン | バン

Kun'yomi

いた

Example words
黒板こくばん

blackboard

板前いたまえ

sushi chef

#9

Meaning

slope, hill

Components

On'yomi

ハン

Kun'yomi

さか

Example words
坂道さかみち

sloping road, hill

上り坂のぼりざか

uphill slope

下り坂くだりざか

downhill slope

#10

Meaning

bridge

Components

On'yomi

キョウ

Kun'yomi

はし

Example words
橋渡しはしわたし

bridging, mediation

歩道橋ほどうきょう

pedestrian bridge

鉄橋てっきょう

iron/railway bridge

Practice

Test yourself on this lesson's kanji.