Grade 4 kanji
Lesson 15

Body, clothing & change

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

clothing, garment

Components

On'yomi

Kun'yomi

ころも

Example words
衣服いふく

clothes, clothing

衣類いるい

clothing, garments

衣替えころもがえ

seasonal change of clothes

#2

Meaning

certain, without fail; necessary

Components

On'yomi

ヒツ

Kun'yomi

かなら(ず)

Example words
必ずかならず

without fail, certainly

必要ひつよう

necessary, needed

必死ひっし

desperate, frantic

#3

Meaning

harm, damage, injury

Components

On'yomi

ガイ

Example words
公害こうがい

pollution

害虫がいちゅう

harmful insect, pest

#4

Meaning

to flourish; glory, prosperity

Components

On'yomi

エイ

Kun'yomi

さか(える) | は(える)

Example words
栄養えいよう

nutrition

栄えるさかえる

to flourish, to prosper

光栄こうえい

honor, glory

#5

Meaning

to reform, to revise, to change

Components

On'yomi

カイ

Kun'yomi

あらた(める)

Example words
改めるあらためる

to revise, to reform

改札かいさつ

ticket gate

改正かいせい

revision, amendment

Practice

Test yourself on this lesson's kanji.