Action verbs

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 hit, to strike

Components

On'yomi

Kun'yomi

う(つ)

Example words
打つうつ

to hit, to strike

打者だしゃ

batter (baseball)

安打あんだ

base hit (baseball)

#2

Meaning

to throw

Components

On'yomi

トウ

Kun'yomi

な(げる)

Example words
投げるなげる

to throw

投手とうしゅ

pitcher (baseball)

投票とうひょう

voting, ballot

#3

Meaning

to hold, to have

Components

On'yomi

Kun'yomi

も(つ)

Example words
持つもつ

to hold, to have

気持ちきもち

feeling, mood

所持しょじ

possession, carrying

#4

Meaning

to take, to grab

Components

On'yomi

シュ

Kun'yomi

と(る)

Example words
取るとる

to take, to grab

取り出すとりだす

to take out

書き取りかきとり

dictation

#5

Meaning

to receive, to accept

Components

On'yomi

ジュ

Kun'yomi

う(ける)

Example words
受けるうける

to receive, to take (a test)

受験じゅけん

taking an entrance exam

受付うけつけ

reception, front desk

#6

Meaning

to pick up, to gather

Components

On'yomi

シュウ | ジュウ

Kun'yomi

ひろ(う)

Example words
拾うひろう

to pick up

拾い物ひろいもの

a found item

#7

Meaning

to disappear; to erase, to put out

Components

On'yomi

ショウ

Kun'yomi

き(える) | け(す)

Example words
消すけす

to erase, to turn off

消えるきえる

to disappear, to go out

消火しょうか

fire extinguishing

#8

Meaning

to help, to rescue

Components

On'yomi

ジョ

Kun'yomi

たす(ける) | たす(かる)

Example words
助けるたすける

to help, to save

助手じょしゅ

assistant

助言じょげん

advice

#9

Meaning

to decide, to settle

Components

On'yomi

ケツ

Kun'yomi

き(める) | き(まる)

Example words
決めるきめる

to decide

決心けっしん

determination, resolve

決定けってい

decision

#10

Meaning

to get up, to wake; to occur

Components

On'yomi

Kun'yomi

お(きる) | お(こる)

Example words
起きるおきる

to get up, to wake up

起立きりつ

standing up

早起きはやおき

early rising

Practice

Test yourself on this lesson's kanji.