Grade 4 kanji
Lesson 11

Building, forming & machines

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 build, to erect

Components

On'yomi

ケン | コン

Kun'yomi

た(てる) | た(つ)

Example words
建てるたてる

to build

建物たてもの

building

建設けんせつ

construction

#2

Meaning

healthy, robust

Components

On'yomi

ケン

Kun'yomi

すこ(やか)

Example words
健康けんこう

health

保健ほけん

health, hygiene

健やかすこやか

healthy, sound

#3

Meaning

to tie, to bind; to conclude

Components

On'yomi

ケツ

Kun'yomi

むす(ぶ) | ゆ(う)

Example words
結ぶむすぶ

to tie, to bind

結果けっか

result

結局けっきょく

after all, in the end

#4

Meaning

hard, solid, firm

Components

On'yomi

Kun'yomi

かた(い) | かた(める)

Example words
固いかたい

hard, firm

固定こてい

fixing, fixation

固体こたい

solid (state)

#5

Meaning

to become, to achieve, to form

Components

On'yomi

セイ | ジョウ

Kun'yomi

な(る) | な(す)

Example words
成るなる

to become, to consist of

成功せいこう

success

完成かんせい

completion

#6

Meaning

timber; material

Components

On'yomi

ザイ

Example words
材料ざいりょう

materials, ingredients

木材もくざい

lumber, timber

教材きょうざい

teaching materials

#7

Meaning

machine, device

Components

On'yomi

カイ

Example words
機械きかい

machine, machinery

器械きかい

apparatus, instrument

#8

Meaning

machine; opportunity; loom

Components

On'yomi

Kun'yomi

はた

Example words
機械きかい

machine, machinery

飛行機ひこうき

airplane

機会きかい

opportunity, chance

#9

Meaning

pipe, tube; to manage

Components

On'yomi

カン

Kun'yomi

くだ

Example words
血管けっかん

blood vessel

血管けっかん

blood vessel

管理かんり

management, control

Practice

Test yourself on this lesson's kanji.