Writing, arts & practice
Tap an example word to hear it pronounced.
What the component colors mean
言
Blue - the main radical the kanji is filed under in dictionaries.
氵
Green - a component that hints at the meaning.
生
Orange - a component that hints at the reading (sound).
?
Grey - another building block, with no clear meaning or sound role.
Example words
筆箱
pencil case
筆記
note-taking, writing
鉛筆
pencil
Example words
漢字
kanji, Chinese character
漢文
classical Chinese writing
漢方
Chinese herbal medicine
Example words
写す
to copy, to transcribe
写真
photograph
書き写す
to copy out (by hand)
Example words
童話
fairy tale
童心
childlike heart
学童
schoolchild
Example words
笛の音
sound of a flute
口笛
whistling (with the mouth)
汽笛
steam whistle
Example words
美しい
beautiful
美人
a beauty, beautiful woman
美術
fine art
Example words
練習
practice, drill
訓練
training
練る
to knead, to refine
Example words
等しい
equal, identical
平等
equality
一等
first class, first prize
Practice
Test yourself on this lesson's kanji.