Water, earth & nature

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

ash; gray

Components

On'yomi

カイ

Kun'yomi

はい

Example words
灰色はいいろ

gray (color)

石灰せっかい

lime (mineral)

灰皿はいざら

ashtray

#2

Meaning

sand

Components

On'yomi

サ | シャ

Kun'yomi

すな

Example words
砂糖さとう

sugar

砂漠さばく

desert

砂場すなば

sandbox

#3

Meaning

spring, fountain

Components

On'yomi

セン

Kun'yomi

いずみ

Example words
温泉おんせん

hot spring

源泉げんせん

source, fountainhead

泉水せんすい

spring water

#4

Meaning

source, origin

Components

On'yomi

ゲン

Kun'yomi

みなもと

Example words
資源しげん

resources

起源きげん

origin

電源でんげん

power source

#5

Meaning

tide; current, trend

Components

On'yomi

チョウ

Kun'yomi

しお

Example words
潮流ちょうりゅう

tidal current; trend

満潮まんちょう

high tide

潮風しおかぜ

sea breeze

#6

Meaning

steam, evaporate

Components

On'yomi

ジョウ

Kun'yomi

む(す)

Example words
蒸気じょうき

steam, vapor

蒸発じょうはつ

evaporation

蒸すむす

to steam

#7

Meaning

wash

Components

On'yomi

セン

Kun'yomi

あら(う)

Example words
洗濯せんたく

laundry, washing

洗面せんめん

washing the face

洗うあらう

to wash

#8

Meaning

dye; be infected

Components

On'yomi

セン

Kun'yomi

そ(める) | し(みる)

Example words
感染かんせん

infection

染色せんしょく

dyeing

染めるそめる

to dye

#9

Meaning

dry; low tide

Components

On'yomi

カン

Kun'yomi

ほ(す) | ひ(る)

Example words
干潮かんちょう

low tide, ebb

若干じゃっかん

some, a few

干すほす

to dry, to air

#10

Meaning

warm

Components

On'yomi

ダン

Kun'yomi

あたた(かい)

Example words
暖房だんぼう

heating

温暖おんだん

warm (climate)

暖かいあたたかい

warm

Practice

Test yourself on this lesson's kanji.