Duty & judgment
Tap an example word to hear it pronounced.
On'yomi & Kun'yomi
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.
What the component colors mean
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).
Grey - another building block, with no clear meaning or sound role.
protection
escort, bodyguard
legal defense
hygiene, sanitation
escort, bodyguard
self-defense
prevention
prevention (of illness)
to prevent, to defend
samurai, warrior
weapon
military force
obligation, duty
office work, clerical
to serve (a role)
responsibility
self-reproach
to blame, to reproach
mission, duty
responsibility
to entrust, to leave to
approval, agreement
endorsement
sponsorship, support
effect, result
valid, effective
to take effect, to work
judgment, decision
judgment, verdict
trial, court
emergency; extraordinary
by all means; right and wrong
delinquency, misconduct
Practice
Test yourself on this lesson's kanji.