Grade 4 kanji
Lesson 12

Light, observation & arts

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 shine, to illuminate

Components

On'yomi

ショウ

Kun'yomi

て(る) | て(らす)

Example words
照るてる

to shine

日照りひでり

drought, dry spell

照明しょうめい

lighting, illumination

#2

Meaning

scenery, view

Components

On'yomi

ケイ

Example words
景色けしき

scenery, landscape

風景ふうけい

landscape, scene

夜景やけい

night view

#3

Meaning

to view, to observe; outlook

Components

On'yomi

カン

Example words
観光かんこう

sightseeing, tourism

観察かんさつ

observation

観客かんきゃく

audience, spectators

#4

Meaning

mirror

Components

On'yomi

キョウ

Kun'yomi

かがみ

Example words
手鏡てかがみ

hand mirror

望遠鏡ぼうえんきょう

telescope

#5

Meaning

to reflect; to omit; ministry

Components

On'yomi

セイ | ショウ

Kun'yomi

かえり(みる) | はぶ(く)

Example words
反省はんせい

self-reflection

省略しょうりゃく

omission, abbreviation

省くはぶく

to omit, to cut out

#6

Meaning

to perceive, to guess, to inspect

Components

On'yomi

サツ

Example words
観察かんさつ

observation

警察けいさつ

police

察するさっする

to perceive, to sense

#7

Meaning

extreme, utmost; pole

Components

On'yomi

キョク | ゴク

Kun'yomi

きわ(める)

Example words
北極ほっきょく

the North Pole

南極なんきょく

the South Pole

極めるきわめる

to master, to carry to the extreme

#8

Meaning

path; diameter

Components

On'yomi

ケイ

Example words
直径ちょっけい

diameter

半径はんけい

radius

口径こうけい

caliber, bore

#9

Meaning

art, craft, skill

Components

On'yomi

ゲイ

Example words
芸術げいじゅつ

art, the arts

芸能げいのう

entertainment, performing arts

#10

Meaning

to govern; to cure, to heal

Components

On'yomi

ジ | チ

Kun'yomi

おさ(める) | なお(る)

Example words
治るなおる

to be cured, to heal

政治せいじ

politics

治すなおす

to cure, to heal

Practice

Test yourself on this lesson's kanji.