Feelings & wishes

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

law, method, rule

Components

On'yomi

ホウ | ハッ

Example words
方法ほうほう

method, way

法律ほうりつ

law

文法ぶんぽう

grammar

#2

Meaning

love, affection

Components

On'yomi

アイ

Example words
愛情あいじょう

affection, love

愛犬あいけん

pet dog, beloved dog

#3

Meaning

to like; good

Components

On'yomi

コウ

Kun'yomi

この(む) | す(く)

Example words
好きすき

liked, favorite

好物こうぶつ

favorite food

友好ゆうこう

friendship, amity

#4

Meaning

to cry, to weep

Components

On'yomi

キュウ

Kun'yomi

な(く)

Example words
泣くなく

to cry, to weep

泣き声なきごえ

crying voice

号泣ごうきゅう

wailing, bawling

#5

Meaning

to laugh, to smile

Components

On'yomi

ショウ

Kun'yomi

わら(う) | え(む)

Example words
笑うわらう

to laugh

笑顔えがお

smiling face

大笑いおおわらい

big laugh

#6

Meaning

to hope, to wish; to gaze afar

Components

On'yomi

ボウ | モウ

Kun'yomi

のぞ(む)

Example words
望むのぞむ

to hope for, to wish

希望きぼう

hope

失望しつぼう

disappointment

#7

Meaning

to wish, to pray, to request

Components

On'yomi

ガン

Kun'yomi

ねが(う)

Example words
願うねがう

to wish, to request

願いねがい

a wish, a request

お願いおねがい

please, a request

#8

Meaning

hope; rare, scarce

Components

On'yomi

Example words
希望きぼう

hope

希少きしょう

rare, scarce

#9

Meaning

to seek, to demand

Components

On'yomi

キュウ

Kun'yomi

もと(める)

Example words
求めるもとめる

to seek, to request

要求ようきゅう

demand, request

求人きゅうじん

job offer, help wanted

#10

Meaning

thought, wish; attention

Components

On'yomi

ネン

Example words
記念きねん

commemoration, memento

残念ざんねん

regret, too bad

信念しんねん

belief, conviction

Practice

Test yourself on this lesson's kanji.